cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An In Vitro Intact Globe Expansion Method for Evaluation of Cross-linking Treatments

Purpose. To measure the tissue mechanical response to elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) using intact globe expansion of rabbit eyes. This method examined rabbit kit (2–3 weeks old) eyes as a model for weakened tissue and evaluated riboflavin/ UVA and glyceraldehyde cross-linking treatments. Methods. The ocular shape of enucleated eyes was photographed during a 24-hour period while a controlled IOP was imposed (either low IOP 22 mm Hg or high IOP 85 mm Hg). Untreated controls consisted of kit eyes tested at both low- and high IOP and adult eyes tested at high IOP. Treated kit eyes (dextran controls, riboflavin/UVA treatment of the cornea, and glyceraldehyde treatment of the entire globe) were tested at high IOP. Results. Low IOP elicited negligible creep of the sclera and very gradual creep of the cornea. In contrast, high IOP induced up to an 8% strain in the sclera and a 15% strain in the cornea of rabbit kit eyes. The expansion of adult eyes was less than one third that of kit eyes at the same, high IOP. Riboflavin/UVA treatment of corneas reduced expansion compared with that in both dextran-treated and untreated control corneas. Glyceraldehyde treatment prevented expansion of the cornea and sclera. Conclusions. The intact globe expansion method (GEM) imposes a loading geometry comparable to in vivo conditions and can quantify changes in mechanical stability as a function of testing conditions (e.g., IOP, tissue maturation, and therapeutic cross-linking) with small sample sizes and small variability. Rabbit kit eyes provide a model of weak tissue suitable for screening treatments that strengthen the cornea and sclera.
Measuring the effects of preprocessing decisions and network forces in dynamic network analysis

Social networks have become a major focus of research in recent years, initially directed towards static networks but increasingly, towards dynamic ones. In this paper, we investigate how different pre-processing decisions and different network forces such as selection and influence affect the modeling of dynamic networks. We also present empirical justification for some of the modeling assumptions made in dynamic network analysis (e.g., first-order Markovian assumption) and develop metrics to measure the alignment between links and attributes under different strategies of using the historical network data. We also demonstrate the effect of attribute drift, that is, the importance of individual attributes in forming links change over time.
Cultural Transmission Theory and the Archaeological Record: Providing Context to Understanding Variation and Temporal Changes in Material Culture

Cultural transmission (CT) is implicit in many explanations of culture change. Formal CT models were defined by anthropologists 30 years ago and have been a subject of active research in the social sciences in the ensuing years. Although increasing in popularity in recent years, CT has not seen extensive use in archaeological research, despite the quantitative rigor of many CT models and the ability to create testable hypotheses. Part of the reason for the slow adoption, we argue, has been the continuing focus on change in central tendency and mode in archaeology, instead of change in dispersion or variance. Yet archaeological research provides an excellent data source for exploring processes of CT. We review CT research in the anthropological sciences and outline the benefits and drawbacks of this theoretical framework for the study of material culture. We argue that CT can shed much light on our understandings of why material technology changes over time, including explanations of differential rates of change among different technologies. We further argue that transmission processes are greatly affected by the content, context, and mode of transmission and fundamentally structure variation in material culture. Including ideas from CT can provide greater context for explaining and understanding changes in the variation of artifacts over time. Finally, we outline what we feel should be the goals of CT research in archaeology in the coming years.
Maturation in Action: CryoEM Study of a Viral Capsid Caught during Expansion

Summary Bacteriophage HK97 maturation involves discrete intermediate particle forms, comparable to transitional states in protein folding, before reaching its mature form. The process starts by formation of a metastable prohead, poised for exothermic expansion triggered by DNA packaging. During maturation, the capsid subunit transitions from a strained to a canonical tertiary conformation and this has been postulated to be the driving mechanism for initiating expansion via switching hexameric capsomer architecture from skewed to 6-fold symmetric. We report the subnanometer electron-cryomicroscopy reconstruction of the HK97 first expansion intermediate before any crosslink formation. This form displays 6-fold symmetric hexamers, but capsid subunit tertiary structures exhibit distortions comparable to the prohead forms. We propose that coat subunit strain release acts in synergy with the first crosslinks to drive forward maturation. Finally, we speculate that the energetic features of this transition may result from increased stability of intermediates during maturation via enhanced inter-subunit interactions.
Understanding the sources and fate of nitrate in a highly developed aquifer system

Understanding the processes affecting the transport and fate of nitrate in coastal aquifers has become of great interest in recent years due to concerns of nutrient loading to coastal waters. Novel dual isotopic methods have shown promise for identifying sources and fate of nitrate in shallow groundwater. However, in relatively deep dynamic aquifer systems, the isotopic signatures may be overprinted by mixing of different end-member waters and biogeochemical processes. In this study, δ(15)N and δ(18)O of groundwater nitrate are coupled with other forensic geochemistry methods such as Cl/Br, SO4/Cl, and Cl/NO3 mass ratios and land use analysis in order to constrain the isotope correlations and better understand contaminant sources and biogeochemical processes. Most δ(15)NNO3 values were within ranges expected for nitrate formed by ammonia nitrification in soil. Furthermore, the persistent presence of nitrate in concentrations above background levels (median 2.3 mg/L) and the relatively low δ(15)NNO3 and δ(18)ONO3 (median: 4.5±0.2‰ AIR and 5.2±0.5‰ VSMOW, respectively) indicate no direct evidence of denitrification. However, denitrification was inferred for a few samples whereby more enriched δ(15)NNO3 and δ(18)ONO3 values coupled with an increase in SO4/Cl and Cl/NO3 ratios were observed. Finally, mixing trends were identified for a few of the samples as indicated by δ(15)NO3 and δ(18)ONO3 mixing ratios and were consistent with the study area's land-use/land-cover distribution. The combination of methods utilized in this study revealed that in some cases mass ratios were better diagnostics in elucidating the impact of denitrification, mixing processes, and source identification within dynamic aquifer systems than the dual-isotope technique.
"Certainty" and expert mental health opinions in legal proceedings.

Abstract This pilot study addresses the legal and scientific ramifications of the “certainty” expressed by mental health professionals when functioning as expert witnesses in criminal and civil proceedings. The sporadic attention paid to “certainty” in the professional literature has typically taken the form of general policy oriented analyses as opposed to empirical, data-driven investigations. In the current study, 25 doctoral and master's level mental health professionals were provided with 53 different statements. Some statements addressed “certainty” itself in the typical fashion (e.g., “Reasonable Degree of Scientific Certainty,” “Reasonable Degree of Medical Certainty,” and “Reasonable Degree of Psychological Certainty”). Other statements were confined to specifically legal standards of proof (e.g., “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt,” “Preponderance of the Evidence,” and “Clear and Convincing”). Additional statements included those that bore at least some direct forensic relevance (e.g., “Based upon All the Data at My Disposal,” “In My Medical Opinion,” and “In My Clinical Judgment”), as well as those of a non-forensic nature (e.g., “I Would Bet My Life Savings,” “On My Word of Honor,” and “I Am Personally Convinced”). Ratings were provided on one form as if the participant had uttered the statement, and on another form as if another expert witness had uttered the statement. Overall, participants did not tend to identify traditional legal terms as expressing the highest level of “certainty,” and respondents tended to ascribe more “certainty” to the same terms when uttered by themselves as opposed to when uttered by other expert witnesses. Those providing forensic testimony will do well to accommodate the court's traditional requirements while developing and preparing to justify their own notions of just what “certainty” denotes in this context.
The Island Metaphor

This paper presents an "Island Metaphor" for interactions with systems of heterogeneous computational devices employing mobile agents. In this metaphor, stationary computers represent islands of virtual spaces, and mobile devices represent virtual rafts that allow agents to move through a sea of real space. The Island Metaphor provides several benefits over existing computational metaphors, and may be relevant to applications in education, entertainment, and social technologies.
A note on the stability of actinomycin D

Visible absorption spectra and an agar-diffusion microbiological assay with Staphylococcus aureus were used to examine the effects of temperature, time, and pH on the stability of actinomycin D in distilled water, Clark and Lubs buffer solutions, and plasma. The most stable storage pH range for actinomycin D in buffer solution is 5 to 7. Actinomycin D in distilled water and stored 5° C (refrigeration) preserved its stability for at least 150 days. Except in buffer at pH 5, the antibiotic is appreciably degraded by autoclaving.
The membranous lining of the swimbladder in deep sea fishes—I. Morphology and chemical composition

Abstract 1. 1. Cholesterol-rich swimbladder foams from Coryphaenoides (cf. fernandezianus ) and Parabassogigas sp. collected from 3400 to 4575 m depth appear as sheets of layered membranes having typical bilayers. 2. 2. Sphingomyelin was the major phospholipid in Parabassogigas swimbladder foam (48.7 and 63.0 per cent) whereas phosphatidylcholine (39.1–44.8 per cent) was the major phospholipid in Coryphaenoides . 3. 3. Although percentages of both cholesterol and phospholipids were lower in Parabassogigas than in Coryphaenoides , the ratio of cholesterol to phospholipid was close to one to one in both fish. 4. 4. Total fatty acid unsaturation in the swimbladder foams was high (71.4–80.5 per cent) despite the presence of hyperbaric oxygen.
Comment on “The Case of Absence of Transverse Doppler Effect”

In the above paper, an extraordinary claim of experimental absence of the transverse Doppler effect is made. As stated in the abstract, "An experiment... showing that a 33-GHz microwave signal received by rotating antennas is not exhibiting the frequency shift ("transverse Doppler effect") predicted by the relativistic Doppler formula." In this comment, we will reanalyze the experiment and show that the correct application of special relativity predicts exactly a zero effect, in perfect coincidence with the observed result.
Nitric oxide‐dependent neutrophil recruitment: role in nasal secretion

Leukotriene B4 (LTB4), an inflammatory mediator, is a potent chemoattractant for neutrophils that plays an important role in nasal secretion via release of elastase. Nitric oxide (NO) is an important modulator of leucocyte–endothelial cell interactions, endogenously produced in large quantities in the paranasal sinuses. To examine the role of NO in LTB4-stimulated nasal secretion. A newly-developed method for isolating and superfusing a nasal segment in dogs was used. Instillation of LTB4 into the nasal segment caused a time-dependent increase in the volume of airway fluid and in the recruitment of neutrophils. N(G)-nitro-l-arginine-methylester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of NO synthase, prevented LTB4-induced neutrophil recruitment and nasal secretion. These studies show that NO modulates LTB4-induced neutrophil recruitment and subsequent fluid secretion in the nose, and they suggest a therapeutic role for NO inhibitors in modulating neutrophil-dependent nasal secretion.
Determination of free, total, and esterified cholesterol by high-performance liquid chromatography

A method is described for measuring free, total, and esterified cholesterol in blood serum in which reversed-phase liquid chromatography is used and the eluate is monitored at 200 nm. The sample for total cholesterol is prepared according to the Abell-Kendall procedure, and for free cholesterol an extract of serum--isopropanol (1:5, v/v) is used. The column is a muBondapak C18, 10 micrometers, and the mobile phase for total cholesterol is isopropanol--acetonitrile (50:50, v/v); for free cholesterol, it is isopropanol--acetonitrile--water (60:30:10). An approximation of the free cholesterol, triglycerides, and individual cholesteryl esters is obtained from single chromatograms of isopropanol extracts of serum if the first mobile phase is used. In a comparison study with the Abell-Kendall method for total cholesterol, the correlation is excellent and the precision is acceptable.
Asymptotic analysis of differential‐delay equations and nonuniqueness of periodic solutions

We study the differential-delay equation x′(t) = −αf(x(t–1)), where α is a positive parameter and f is an odd function which decays like x−r at infinity. In particular, we consider the case r ⩽ 2, and prove the existence of periodic solutions with special symmetries which are different from previously known periodic solutions of minimal period 4. For r = 2 we prove sharp asymptotic estimates for the minimal periods of these solutions. Our results disprove a conjecture of R. D. Nussbaum.
Seasonal variation in the anoxia sensitivity of the lizard saccule.

Abstract 1. 1. A small positive or near positive saccular potential (SP) was recorded in the lizard throughout the year. 2. 2. The response of the SP to anoxia differed significantly between summer and winter. 3. 3. In summer the SP decreased an average of 23 mV in 17 min after anoxia, whereas in winter it took approximately 28 min to decrease 7 mV.
Molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations of lipid bilayers

Abstract Molecular dynamics simulations of lipid bilayer/water systems have been reported by a number of groups, and are generally in good agreement with experimental results and with each other. The bilayer interior has been found closely to resemble an alkane melt although, because the chains are oriented, diffusion of benzene and water is more rapid in the center than near the surface. The waters at the interface are oriented for several layers, with the polarization profile monotonic and possibly a stretched exponential. Stochastic dynamics simulations have been extended to unsaturated lipids, and recently developed Monte Carlo methods have been used to sample a variety of lipid systems efficiently.
Efficient Histogram Estimation for Smart Grid Data Processing With the Loglog-Bloom-Filter

With the emerging area of smart grids, one critical challenge faced by administrators of wide-area measurement systems is to analyze and model streaming data with limited resources on their embedded controllers. Usually, streaming data can be modeled as a multiset where each data item has its own frequency. In this paper, we study the problem on how to generate histograms of data items based on their frequency, so we can identify various issues such as power line tripping or line faults under constraints. The primary challenge for achieving this goal using conventional methods is that keeping an individual counter for each unique type of data is too memory-consuming, slow, and costly. In this paper, we describe a novel data structure and its associated algorithms, called the loglog bloom filter, for this purpose. This data structure extends the classical bloom filter with a recent technique called probabilistic counting, so it can effectively generate histograms for streaming data in one pass with sub-linear overhead. Therefore, this method is suitable for data processing in smart grids, where limited computational resources are available on the controllers. We analyze the performance, trade-offs, and capacity of this data structure, and evaluate it with real data traces collected through the frequency disturbance recorders deployed for the FNET/GridEye infrastructure. We demonstrate that this method can identify the frequencies of all unique items with high accuracy and low memory overhead, so that data outliers can be conveniently identified.
"I'd eat a bucket of nails if you told me it would help me sleep:" perceptions of insomnia and its treatment in patients with stable heart failure.

Abstract Background Poor sleep, including insomnia, is common among patients with heart failure (HF). However, little is known about the efficacy of interventions for insomnia in this population. Prior to developing interventions, there is a need for better understanding of patient perceptions about insomnia and its treatment. Objectives To evaluate HF patients' perceptions about 1) insomnia and its consequences; 2) predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors for insomnia; 3) self-management strategies and treatments for insomnia; and 4) preferences for insomnia treatment. Methods The study, guided by the “3 P” model of insomnia, employed a parallel convergent mixed methods design in which we obtained qualitative data through focus groups and quantitative data through questionnaires (sleep quality, insomnia severity, dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep; sleep-related daytime symptoms and functional performance). Content analysis was used to evaluate themes arising from the focus group data, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data. The results of both forms of data collection were compared and synthesized. Results HF patients perceived insomnia as having a negative impact on daytime function and comorbid health problems, pain, nocturia, and psychological factors as perpetuating factors. They viewed use of hypnotic medications as often necessary but disliked negative daytime side effects. They used a variety of strategies to manage their insomnia, but generally did not mention their sleep concerns to physicians whom they perceived as not interested in sleep. Conclusions HF patients believe insomnia is important and multi-factorial. Behavioral treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, for insomnia may be efficacious in modifying perpetuating factors and likely to be acceptable to patients.
Hyper Rayleigh Scattering from Helium: Search for Even Laser Harmonics

We report on experiments characterizing hyper Rayleigh scattering from high-pressure helium. While odd harmonic scattering of intense laser light is expected, observation of even harmonics would support the Bohmian interpretation of quantum mechanics.
Functional MRI as a marker of memory network disruption in early Alzheimer's disease

characterized by an anterior-to-posterior gradient of greater-to-lesser degeneration could also be confirmed by several studies of structural integrity using DTI. A discrimination of those patterns, together with the estimation of the actual brain reserve capacity by estimates of structural connectivity, could increase the precision of individual disease course prediction and thus increasing the timeframe for secondary preventive strategies. However, the utility and feasibility of DTI for early AD diagnosis and for the monitoring (or treatment) of the disease needs further evaluation, especially compared to other MR-measures and in the context of larger multicentre approaches.
Serum cystatin C predicts vancomycin trough levels better than serum creatinine in hospitalized patients: a cohort study.

Serum cystatin C can improve glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimation over creatinine alone, but whether this translates into clinically relevant improvements in drug dosing is unclear. This prospective cohort study enrolled adults receiving scheduled intravenous vancomycin while hospitalized at the Mayo Clinic in 2012. Vancomycin dosing was based on weight, serum creatinine with the Cockcroft-Gault equation, and clinical judgment. Cystatin C was later assayed from the stored serum used for the creatinine-based dosing. Vancomycin trough prediction models were developed by using factors available at therapy initiation. Residuals from each model were used to predict the proportion of patients who would have achieved the target trough with the model compared with that observed with usual care. Of 173 patients enrolled, only 35 (20%) had a trough vancomycin level within their target range (10 to 15 mg/L or 15 to 20 mg/L). Cystatin C-inclusive models better predicted vancomycin troughs than models based upon serum creatinine alone, although both were an improvement over usual care. The optimal model used estimated GFR by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaborative (CKD-EPI) creatinine-cystatin C equation (R 2 = 0.580). This model is expected to yield 54% (95% confidence interval 45% to 61%) target trough attainment (P <0.001 compared with the 20% with usual care). Vancomycin dosing based on standard care with Cockcroft-Gault creatinine clearance yielded poor trough achievement. The developed dosing model with estimated GFR from CKD-EPIcreatinine-cystatin C could yield a 2.5-fold increase in target trough achievement compared with current clinical practice. Although this study is promising, prospective validation of this or similar cystatin C-inclusive dosing models is warranted.
The atlA Operon of Streptococcus mutans: Role in Autolysin Maturation and Cell Surface Biogenesis

The Smu0630 protein (AtlA) was recently shown to be involved in cell separation, biofilm formation, and autolysis. Here, transcriptional studies revealed that atlA is part of a multigene operon under the control of at least three promoters. The morphology and biofilm-forming capacity of a nonpolar altA mutant could be restored to that of the wild-type strain by adding purified AtlA protein to the medium. A series of truncated derivatives of AtlA revealed that full activity required the C terminus and repeat regions. AtlA was cell associated and readily extractable from with sodium dodecyl sulfate. Of particular interest, the surface protein profile of AtlA-deficient strains was dramatically altered compared to the wild-type strain, as was the nature of the association of the multifunctional adhesin P1 with the cell wall. In addition, AtlA-deficient strains failed to develop competence as effectively as the parental strain. Mutation of thmA, which can be cotranscribed with atlA and encodes a putative pore-forming protein, resulted in a phenotype very similar to that of the AtlA-deficient strain. ThmA was also shown to be required for efficient processing of AtlA to its mature form, and treatment of the thmA mutant strain with full-length AtlA protein did not restore normal cell separation and biofilm formation. The effects of mutating other genes in the operon on cell division, biofilm formation, or AtlA biogenesis were not as profound. This study reveals that AtlA is a surface-associated protein that plays a critical role in the network connecting cell surface biogenesis, biofilm formation, genetic competence, and autolysis.
Elderly Consumers' Views of Community and Mail-Order Pharmacies

A survey was conducted to compare elderly consumers' reasons for using and experiences with mail-order and community pharmacies. The results indicated that elderly consumers who use community pharmacies do so for price and convenience. Consumers who use mail-order pharmacies do so for lower prices. Greater convenience was not an important motive for this group, .probably because of their lack of mobility-limiting conditions. Few consumers reported problems with either source of prescriptions.
Amphibian cells in culture. I. Nutritional studies.

Nutritional requirements of amphibian cells in culture were studied for the purpose of modifying a minimal medium in which frog cells could proliferate and which could be used for obtaining drug-resistant and auxotrophic variants. The serum, purine, CO2, and amino acid requirements for ICR 2A (a Rana pipiens haploid cell strain) have been investigated employing two different media: L-15, a nonbicarbonate, amino acid-buffered medium and Eagle's MEM, a bicarbonate-buffered medium. In this paper we present evidence to support the following conclusions: (1) With L-15 as the base medium, 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) supports optimal cell growth during exponential phase. Calf serum, whole, dialyzed, or heat-inactivated, cannot substitute for FCS and, in fact, is inhibitory. (2) Purines are required by ICR 2A cells only if grown in a nonbicarbonate-buffered medium, since the cells under these conditions cannot produce enough endogenous CO2 to support de novo purine synthesis. (3) In addition to the amino acids considered essential for mammalian cells in culture, ICR 2A cells depend upon exogenous asparagine. Glutamine and/or aspartic acid cannot replace the asparagine requirement. However, ICR 2A cells do utilize exogenous glutamine as an oxidative substrate.
The Presence and Role of Brown Fat in Adult Humans

Over the past decade, studies in nuclear medicine using positron-emisson tomography in conjunction with computed tomography (PET/CT) clearly revealed the presence of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in adult humans. Last year, highly publicized papers suggested a potential role for BAT to regulate not only human body temperature but possibly energy balance. Whether BAT can be up regulated in adult humans remain to be shown? Furthermore, the potential role of BAT in the regulation of energy balance needs to be investigated in response to overfeeding.
Overexpression of the poplar NF-YB7 transcription factor confers drought tolerance and improves water-use efficiency in Arabidopsis

Water deficit is a serious environmental factor limiting the growth and productivity of plants worldwide. Improvement of drought tolerance and efficient water use are significant strategies to overcome this dilemma. In this study, a drought-responsive transcription factor, nuclear factor Y subunit B 7 (PdNF-YB7), induced by osmotic stress (PEG6000) and abscisic acid, was isolated from fast-growing poplar clone NE-19 [Populus nigra × (Populus deltoides × Populus nigra)]. Ectopic overexpression of PdNF-YB7 (oxPdB7) in Arabidopsis enhanced drought tolerance and whole-plant and instantaneous leaf water-use efficiency (WUE, the ratio of biomass produced to water consumed). Overexpressing lines had an increase in germination rate and root length and decrease in water loss and displayed higher photosynthetic rate, instantaneous leaf WUE, and leaf water potential to exhibit enhanced drought tolerance under water scarcity. Additionally, overexpression of PdNF-YB7 in Arabidopsis improved whole-plant WUE by increasing carbon assimilation and reducing transpiration with water abundance. These drought-tolerant, higher WUE transgenic Arabidopsis had earlier seedling establishment and higher biomass than controls under normal and drought conditions. In contrast, Arabidopsis mutant nf-yb3 was more sensitive to drought stress with lower WUE. However, complementation analysis indicated that complementary lines (nf-yb3/PdB7) had almost the same drought response and WUE as wild-type Col-0. Taken together, these results suggest that PdNF-YB7 positively confers drought tolerance and improves WUE in Arabidopsis; thus it could potentially be used in breeding drought-tolerant plants with increased production even under water deficiency.
Recombinant hemagglutinin protein vaccine: a new option in immunization against influenza

Influenza continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Vaccination is the most effective strategy to prevent influenza complications. Traditional influenza vaccines rely on an egg-based production system that has several limitations like dependence on egg supply, long production time and contraindication in people with severe egg allergy. Alternative vaccine production systems are then necessary. The insect cell-baculovirus-based production technology has shown the ability to overcome these limitations. A recombinant trivalent hemagglutinin vaccine (RIV3 – Flublok®) produced using this system is available and licensed in the USA since 2013 for use in adults. This is the first vaccine to contain recombinant influenza virus proteins, with a hemagglutinin concentration that is three-times the one found in inactivated influenza vaccine. Different studies have shown that RIV3 is well tolerated, immunogenic and efficacious, thus proving it to be an additional option for immunization again...
Surface sediment effects on teleseismic P wave amplitude

[1] Teleseismic P waves are dominated by relatively low frequency (<1 Hz) signals due to the Earth's attenuation; because of this, receiver site effects are usually assumed to be independent of frequency. We investigate the site amplitude effects due to a surface sediment layer and show that teleseismic frequency-dependent site effects can be important. One-dimensional modeling shows that the effects of amplification due to differences in impedance, combined with amplitude losses to reverberations in the sediment layer, can result in significantly frequency-dependent site effects. The extent of the frequency dependence depends upon the two-way travel time of P waves in the sediments and the dominant period of the P waves. Using model CRUST2.0, we compute a 2° × 2° map of the “reference” period of P waves above which the dependency can be neglected. We argue that the common practice of applying station corrections to magnitude determination will underestimate the magnitude of large earthquakes. To show that these effects are observable in practice, we analyze the amplitude ratios of seven teleseismic events at the station pair KURK and MAKZ and six events at the station pair KMI and CHTO. The amplitude ratios are relatively insensitive to other contributing effects and are in good agreement with the predicted frequency-dependent effects of the surface sediment layer.
Comparison of the BBL CHROMagar Staph aureus agar medium to conventional media for detection of Staphylococcus aureus in respiratory samples

Screening for Staphylococcus aureus has become routine in certain patient populations. This study is the first clinical evaluation of the BBL CHROMagar Staph aureus agar (CSA) medium (BD Diagnostics, Sparks, Md.) for detection of S. aureus in nasal surveillance cultures and in respiratory samples from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. S. aureus colonies appear mauve on CSA. Other organisms are inhibited or produce a distinctly different colony color. S. aureus was identified from all media by slide coagulase, exogenous DNase, and mannitol fermentation assays. Susceptibility testing was performed using the agar dilution method. A total of 679 samples were evaluated. All samples were inoculated onto CSA. Nasal surveillance cultures were inoculated onto sheep blood agar (SBA) (BD Diagnostics), and samples from CF patients were inoculated onto mannitol salt agar (MSA) (BD Diagnostics). Of the 679 samples cultured, 200 organisms produced a mauve color on CSA (suspicious for S. aureus) and 180 were positive for S. aureus on SBA or MSA. Of 200 CSA-positive samples 191 were identified as S. aureus. Nine mauve colonies were slide coagulase negative and were subsequently identified as Staphylococcus lugdunensis (one), Staphylococcus epidermidis (three), Staphylococcus haemolyticus (one), and Corynebacterium species (four). CSA improved the ability to detect S. aureus by recovering 12 S. aureus isolates missed by conventional media. Of the 192 S. aureus isolates recovered, 122 were methicillin susceptible and 70 were methicillin resistant. Overall, the sensitivity and specificity of CSA in this study were 99.5 and 98%, respectively. There was no difference in the performance of the slide coagulase test or in susceptibility testing performed on S. aureus recovered from CSA compared to SBA or MSA. Our data support the use of CSA in place of standard culture media for detection of S. aureus in heavily contaminated respiratory samples.
Identifying spatio-temporal patterns of articulated criminal offending: An application using phenomenologically meaningful police jurisdictional geographies

Improving our understanding of the differentials, articulation and mobility of criminal offending within and between urban and rural areas may ultimately have important policy implications for the allocation of valuable federal, state and local resources. This paper introduces a new comprehensive place level system delineation, which corresponds directly to meaningful police jurisdictional coverage areas. This coverage allows for the implementation of a multivariate spatial econometric technique that has the potential to contribute to law enforcement's ability to combat criminal offending through the introduction of an algorithm for the tracking of the almost ‘real time’ spatial mobility of crime. The results suggest a more robust application of spatial clustering statistics in identifying spatio-temporal relationships in the spatial mobility of crime. It is expected that the ability to track criminal offending in a more ‘real-time’ manner can have direct implications on future research concerned with the simulation of crime-specific offending patterns. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Modern Caribbean

This collection of thirteen original essays by experts in the field of Caribbean studies clarifies the diverse elements that have shaped the modern Caribbean. Through an interdisciplinary examination of the complexities of race, politics, language, and environment that mark the region, the authors offer readers a thorough understanding of the Caribbean's history and culture. The essays also comment thoughtfully on the problems that confront the Caribbean in today's world. The essays focus on the Caribbean island and the mainland enclaves of Belize and the Guianas. Topics examined include the Haitian Revolution of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries; labor and society in the nineteenth-century Caribbean; society and culture in the British and French West Indies since 1870; identity, race, and black power in Jamaica; the "February Revolution" of 1970 in Trinidad; contemporary Puerto Rico; politics, economy, and society in twentieth-century Cuba; Spanish Caribbean politics and nationalism in the nineteenth century; Caribbean migrations; economic history of the British Caribbean; international relations; and nationalism, nation, and ideology in the evolution of Caribbean literature. The authors trace the historical roots of current Caribbean difficulties and analyze these problems in the light of economic, political, and social developments. Additionally, they explore these conditions in relation to United States interests and project what may lie ahead for the region. The challenges currently facing the Caribbean, note the editors, impose a heavy burden upon political leaders who must struggle "to eliminate the tensions when the people are so poor and their expectations so great." The contributors are Herman L. Bennett, Bridget Brereton, David Geggus, Franklin W. Knight, Anthony P. Maingot, Jay R. Mandle, Roberto Marquez, Teresita Martinez Vergne, Colin A. Palmer, Bonham C. Richardson, Franciso A. Scarano, and Blanca G. Silvestrini.
Core Radiology: A Visual Approach to Diagnostic Imaging

J. Mandell, ed. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2013, 887 pages, $117.40 Diagnostic imaging is becoming exceedingly complex. As the field adds a new imaging technique or improves with computer-based digital technique, the analysis and correct differential diagnosis often present a
Management of Back and Neck Pain: Who Seeks Care From Physical Therapists?

Background and Purpose. Little information is available on factors associated with physical therapist use by people with back or neck pain. Identifying the characteristics of people who seek care from physical therapists is a useful first step in determining whether there is appropriate use of physical therapy services. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with physical therapist use by people with back or neck pain. Subjects. The subjects were 29,049 people who had back pain or neck pain, or both, and who were seen for an initial evaluation at 1 of 21 US spine care centers. Each subject and evaluating physician completed a written survey at the time of the initial evaluation. Methods. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with physical therapist use. Results. Several measures of health and illness severity were associated with physical therapist use. Age and being male were negatively associated with physical therapist use. Education level, having workers' compensation coverage, and being in litigation were positively associated with physical therapist use. Physical therapist use also varied by previous physician use and census region. Discussion and Conclusion. The results suggest that variations in physical therapist use are associated with factors other than health and illness severity. The results also suggest that people who would benefit from physical therapy may not be receiving it or that people who would not benefit from physical therapy are receiving it, or both.
Evidence that a cerebellum-enriched, synaptic junction glycoprotein is related to fodrin and resists extraction with triton in a calcium-dependent manner.

Subcellular fractions from rat cerebellum and other tissues were examined for the presence of a 240K glycoprotein, designated GP-A. Previous results have shown that GP-A is enriched in cerebellum synaptic junction (SJ) fractions when compared to parent synaptic plasma membrane (SPM) fractions and is not detected in forebrain SPM or SJ fractions. In the present studies, GP-A was not detected in myelin, mitochondria, purified nuclei, or cytosolic fractions from cerebellum, but was present in microsomal fractions. GP-A is partially soluble in the non-ionic detergent Triton X-100 and is completely soluble when cerebellum SPMs are treated with the ionic detergent N-lauryl sarcosinate. The solubilization of GP-A from cerebellum membranes was shown to be a function of bound calcium ions, e.g., pretreating SPMs with 100 microM-1mM Ca2+ decreased the solubility of GP-A in Triton by approximately threefold. GP-A is a major concanavalin A (Con A)-binding glycoprotein in cerebellum SJ fractions and migrates on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gels with a slower relative mobility than the 235K/230K fodrin doublet. Comparisons between purified fodrin and the 235K/230K doublet in cerebellum and forebrain synaptic fractions by two-dimensional peptide mapping indicated that they were identical. The Con A-binding property of GP-A was exploited to purify it by affinity chromatography with agarose-Con A. Peptide mapping comparisons between affinity-purified GP-A and GP-A in SPM and SJ fractions indicated that GP-A in synaptic fractions is apparently homogeneous. Peptide map comparisons between GP-A and 235K fodrin poly-peptide indicated that these two synaptic components are highly related (50% of their respective peptides are shared). The 235K fodrin polypeptide in SJs reacted with anti-fodrin antisera on Western blots; however, GP-A failed to cross-react. These observations, together with results from previous studies, indicate that GP-A is highly enriched in cerebellum compared to other neuronal and nonneural tissues. Moreover, GP-A is enriched in SJs relative to SPM fractions, is related to fodrin, and is most likely a cell-surface glycoprotein at asymmetric synapses in cerebellum. GP-A may be involved in neuronal recognition or synaptic transmission in the cerebellum. The important role of calcium in synaptic transmission, together with the decreased solubility of GP-A in Triton that results from micromolar concentrations of calcium, suggest that GP-A may play a role in stabilizing cerebellar synaptic junctions.
Job satisfaction of nurses employed in rural and urban long-term care facilities.

Previous investigators have identified residential differences in the job satisfaction of hospital nurses. However, the degree to which the greater job satisfaction of rural nurses can be generalized beyond hospitals to other work settings, including nursing homes, is unknown. The purpose of this research was to examine the job satisfaction of nurses (registered and licensed practical) employed in both rural and urban nursing homes. A total of 281 nurses from 26 participating nursing homes completed a mailed questionnaire that measured the personal and job-specific characteristics of the nurses and the contextual properties of the facilities in which they worked. The data indicated no statistically significant differences in the overall job satisfaction, or on any of the five subscales of the instrument, between rural and urban nurses. However, a pooled multivariate model identified five factors that predicted the job satisfaction of nurses employed in long-term care facilities: the employees' race and personal income; the employees' perception that their supervisor was interested in their career aspirations; the length of time that the nurses had intended to stay at the time of their hiring; and their current intent to leave. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Normative Resources of Kierkegaard's Subjectivity Principle

Kierkegaard’s subjectivity principle is a critique of modern epistemology that remains normative. These norms result from analysis of subjectivity in terms of its reflexive and constitutional elements. Kierkegaard’s epistemology is intrinsically theological and explicates human subjectivity in terms of Christian doctrinal concepts such as revelation, sin and atonement. Here the superiority of Christianity is located not in its propositions as such, but in a way of being that effectuates a certain propositional understanding of the world as it establishes the ground for human subjectivity.
On the Use of Higher Layer Information for Cognitive Networking

Cognitive radio networking research today mainly focuses on finding efficient ways to let secondary users access radio spectrum that is licensed to primary users, with minimal interference to the license owners. Physical layer cognition, though very important, is complex, expensive, and can provide only limited information about the higher layer traffic. We argue that, even in the absence of physical layer cognitive capability, higher layer traffic information can still be used to generate sufficient cognitive networking information to improve system performance. In this paper, we present an architecture for cognitive networking and an early prototype and experimental setup of a cognitive network access point (CogNet AP), and we describe our observations and lessons learned from this experimental activity. The CogNet AP gathers, processes, analyzes, and stores information available through its monitoring interface in order to build a cognitive local repository which holds the spatio-temporally tagged network traffic information. The inexpensiveness of the components used for building the CogNet AP shows the flexibility of building Cognitive Network elements compared to cognitive radio devices. The proposed cognitive networking architecture and prototype point to the many possible application scenarios and research potential for such systems which use temporal patterns of higher layer traffic information. From our experiments we found that the use of cognitive information derived from higher networking layers resulted in achieving better system throughput.
MANAGING TOXIC LEADERS: DYSFUNCTIONAL PATTERNS IN ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM

The polish version of article was published on free CD added to paper version HRM(ZZL) 2011 6(83)
Rapid Multiple-Determinant Enzyme Immunoassay for the Detection of Human Rotavirus

Enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) can be used to detect rotavirus antigens accurately in human stool specimens. Conventional EIA systems require prolonged incubations and multiple washing steps, thus making them impractical for truly rapid diagnosis. However, more rapid solid-phase EIA systems can be devised which make use of simultaneous binding of enzyme-labeled and solid-phase antibodies at immunologically distinct antigenic sites. A multiple-determinant EIA system was devised that was capable of detecting small quantities of rotavirus antigen in less than 40 min. This assay system accurately detected rotavirus antigen in 45 stool specimens positive for rotavirus. No false-positive reactions were noted provided that appropriate control reactions were performed. The rapid double-determinant EIA system provides an accurate, objective means for the rapid diagnosis of human viral infections.
Foreign Military Presence and the Changing Practice of Sovereignty: A Pragmatist Explanation of Norm Change

Recent years have seen an increasing interest among international relations scholars in applications of pragmatist thought. Few works, however, have gone beyond discussing the epistemological and methodological implications of pragmatism. This article draws on a pragmatist understanding of human action to develop a novel explanation of norm change in contexts not amenable to more common analytical approaches. Specifically, concepts derived from pragmatism help explain how the creative recombination of practices by actors in response to changes in the material and social context of action can transform largely tacit notions of appropriate behavior. The article demonstrates the value of the approach by explaining the origin of a common contemporary security practice unknown prior to the Second World War and incompatible with the then-prevailing norms of sovereignty: the long-term, peacetime presence of one state's military on the territory of another equally sovereign state.
Effect of basic and nonbasic amino acid substitutions on transport induced by simian virus 40 T-antigen synthetic peptide nuclear transport signals.

Abstract A previous study demonstrated the ability of a synthetic peptide homologous to the simian virus 40 T-antigen nuclear transport signal to induce the nuclear transport of carrier proteins and the dependence of peptide-induced transport on a positive charge at the lysine corresponding to amino acid 128 of T antigen. In this investigation synthetic peptides were utilized to examine the effect on transport of amino acid substitutions within the T-antigen nuclear transport signal. Nuclear transport was evaluated by immunofluorescence after microinjection of protein-peptide conjugates into the cytoplasm of mammalian cells. Substitution of other basic amino acids at position 128 revealed a hierarchy for nuclear transport. The rate of nuclear transport was most rapid when a lysine was at position 128 followed in descending order by arginine, D-lysine, ornithine, and p-aminophenylalanine. Peptide-induced nuclear transport was dependent upon a positively charged amino acid at positions 128 and 129, since substitutions of neutral asparagines at these positions abolished transport. However, partial transport was observed with the peptide having an asparagine at position 128 when a high number of peptides were conjugated to the carrier protein.
Calibration system for electronic instrument transformers with digital output

A high-accuracy system for calibration of electronic instrument transformers with digital output is described. Its design is based on International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards 61850, 60044-8, and 60044-7. The performance of the calibration system has been evaluated. Its estimated relative uncertainty (2/spl sigma/) is within 40/spl middot/10/sup -6/ in magnitude and within 40 /spl mu/rad in phase.