cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BACTERIAL GROWTH IN WHOLE EGG AND EGG SUBSTITUTES INCLUDING INOCULATION WITH

Bacterial growth patterns in liquid egg and two commercially produced egg substitutes were similar. Total aerobic, anaerobic, proteolytic and lipolytic populations of the products’ normal flora along with pH, titratable acidity and free fatty acid levels were determined at 2°C and 12°C over periods up to 28 days at the lower temperature. Bacterial populations increased substantially in all products except fresh and pasteurized egg at 2°C. Decreases in pH and increases in titratable acidity and free fatty acid levels generally paralleled bacterial growth. S. aureus and C. perfringens inoculated into the egg products in small numbers were outgrown by the natural flora present. S. aureus populations increased slightly over a period of about 4 days at 12°C and then tended to decline. C. perfringens declined rapidly or did not grow in any of the products at 12°, 20° and 37°C although total anaerobic counts increased considerably.
Ethical Issues in Big Data Health Research

Big Data involves analyzing huge data sets for unexpected associations. As a form of health research, Big Data techniques promise interesting new hypotheses. This article addresses whether traditional research regulations should apply to Big Data, explores the relationship between privacy and autonomy in Big Data health research, and considers the role of informed consent in Big Data health research.
Response of Failing Canine and Human Heart Cells to β2-Adrenergic Stimulation

Background Failing human hearts lose β1- but not β2-adrenergic receptors. In canine hearts with tachypacing failure, the ratio of β2- to β1-adrenergic receptors is increased. The present study was designed to determine whether heart failure increases sensitivity to β2-adrenergic stimulation in isolated canine ventricular cardiomyocytes and to verify that myocytes from failing human ventricles contain functional β2-adrenergic receptors. Methods and Results Myocytes from healthy dogs, dogs with tachypacing failure, and human transplant recipients were loaded with fura 2-AM and subjected to electric field stimulation in the presence of zinterol, a highly selective β2-adrenergic agonist. Zinterol significantly increased [Ca2+]i transient amplitudes in all three groups. The failing canine myocytes were significantly more responsive than normal to β2-adrenergic stimulation. We also measured isotonic twitches, indo-1 fluorescence transients, and L-type Ca2+ currents in healthy canine myocytes. Zinterol (10−5 mol...
Potentiating effect of chlorpromazine on glyceryl guaiacolate ether induced hemolysis of rat, dog and human blood in vitro

Abstract The hemolytic effect of glyceryl guiacolate ether (GGF) with and without chloromazine (CPZ) was studied in vitro on rat, dog and human blood. The lowest concentration of GGE which could produce hemolysis of rat red cells was 0.15 M. The time fpr 50% hemolysis (TH50) of blood depended upon the concentration of drug and dilution of blood. A higher concentration of GGE hemolyzed blood much faster than the lower. There was a progressive increase in the TH50 when 0.15 M GGF was tested on blood samples containing increasing numbers of red cells. CPZ in all cases had its own hemolytic effect at higher concentrations. In this regard rat blood was 10 times more sensitive than dog, and human. A striking potentiating effect of CPZ was observed on the hemolytic effect of GGE. The magnitude of potentiation in all cases was directly related to the concentrations of CPZ. Dog blood was found relatively more sensitive to the hemolytic effect of the combination of CPZ and GGE as compared to the rat and human, which acted alike.
Shape representation in ventral pathway visual cortex

Abstract Shape processing is a critical perceptual faculty that underlies almost all our interactions with the world. Our extraordinary ability to discriminate and recognize shapes depends on as yet unknown neural mechanisms in the ventral pathway of primate visual cortex. We explored shape-processing mechanisms in area V4, an intermediate ventral pathway stage in humans and lower primates. Our experiments involved recording electrical activity from individual neurons in awake macaque monkeys performing a fixation task while parametrically varying shape stimuli were flashed in the receptive field of the neuron under study. Our results showed that V4 neurons represent information about contour shape in localized object regions. At the population level, V4 represents complete objects in terms of their constituent parts by means of multiple activity peaks in the shape×position domain.
Myocyte and endothelial effects of preconditioning the jeopardized heart by inhibiting Na+/H+ exchange

Abstract Objectives: The preconditioning effects of the adjunctive, cardiac-specific sodium-hydrogen ion exchange inhibitor cariporide (cariporide mesilate, HOE 642) were studied in hearts subjected to 30 minutes of normothermic ischemia and reperfusion to assess myocardial and endothelial changes. Methods: Sixteen Yorkshire-Duroc pigs (27-34 kg) receiving cardiopulmonary bypass underwent either cardiopulmonary bypass alone (control, n=4) or 30 minutes of normothermic ischemia, followed by 30 minutes of blood reperfusion (n = 12). Six hearts were treated with 5 mg/kg cariporide administered intravenously 15 minutes before ischemia. Results: Cardiopulmonary bypass alone caused no changes. Conversely, 30 minutes of global normothermic ischemia caused 33% mortality and, in survivors, depression of left ventricular function to 22% ± 6% of baseline preload recruitable stroke work and increased creatine kinase MB by 406% (88 ± 13 U/L), conjugated dienes by 17% (161 ± 0.2 AU/mL), and myeloperoxidase activity by 297% (0.036 ± 0.005 U/g). Myocardial edema developed (3.5% water gain). Coronary sinus endothelin 1 increased by 111% (2.05 ± 0.38 pg/mL), and nitric oxide production decreased by 10%. These adverse effects were limited by pretreatment with cariporide, which allowed complete survival and restored preload recruitable stroke work to 78% ± 11%. Measurements of creatine kinase MB, conjugated dienes, myeloperoxidase, water, and endothelin 1 returned to baseline values, and nitric oxide production was accentuated 3-fold. Conclusions: These observations show that adjunctive pretreatment with cariporide delays myocardial and endothelial injury during ischemia and reperfusion, limits oxygen-derived radical injury, restores function, reduces edema, and preserves endothelin and nitric oxide balance at normal values. The myeloperoxidase changes show that less white blood cell adherence supports reduced reperfusion endothelial damage. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2002;124:1113-21
Diffuse splenic and visceral hemangiomas complicated by chronic consumption coagulopathy

The case of a 7-year-old girl with a 2 year history of easy bruising associated with thrombocytopenia is reported. On admission she presented with ecchymoses, abdominal distention and splenomegaly. Hemostasis investigation revealed a consumption coagulopathy. Several radiological studies failed to confirm the diagnosis of diffuse splenic and visceral hemangiomatosis, which was eventually established by an explorative laparotomy. Platelet count and the other coagulation abnormalities progressively returned to normal after splenectomy, although the remaining hemangiomas were extensive.
An Interoperable System for Automated Diagnosis of Cardiac Abnormalities from Electrocardiogram Data

Electrocardiogram (ECG) data are stored and analyzed in different formats, devices, and computer platforms. As a result, ECG data from different monitoring devices cannot be displayed unless the user has access to the proprietary software of each particular device. This research describes an ontology and encoding for representation of ECG data that allows open exchange and display of ECG data in a web browser. The ontology is based on the Health Level Seven (HL7) medical device communication standard. It integrates ECG waveform data, HL7 standard ECG data descriptions, and cardiac diagnosis rules, providing a capability to both represent ECG waveforms as well as perform automated diagnosis of 37 different cardiac abnormalities. The ECG ontology is encoded in XML, thus allowing ECG data from any digital ECG device that maps to it to be displayed in a general-purpose Internet browser. An experiment was conducted to test the interoperability of the system (ability to openly share ECG data without error in a web browser) and also to assess the accuracy of the diagnosis model. Results showed 100% interoperability using 276 ECG data files and 93% accuracy in diagnosis of abnormal cardiac conditions.
Poincaré spaces, their normal fibrations and surgery

Let X be a Poincare space of dimension rn, i. e. there is an element [X]EHm(X) such that [X]n: Hq(X)--+Hm_q(X) is an isomorphism for all q. An oriented spherical fibre space ~, Eo ---.!4 X with fibre F homotopy equivalent to Sk-\ is called a Spivak normal fibre space for X if there is IXE7rm+k(T(~)) of degree 1, i.e. such that h(lX)n U~=[X], where T(~)=X un ('(Eo), U~E Hk(T(~)) is the Thorn class; h: 7r* --+ H* the Hurewicz homomorphism. Let us always assume that X is the homotopy type of a CW complex. Differential topology and surgery theory in particular has had great success in studying the problem of finding manifolds of the same homotopy type as a given Poincare space, and classifying them (see [2] for example). In this theory, one finds weaker structures for Poincare spaces analogous to well known structures on manifolds, and then studies the obstructions to lifting the structure to the strong type found on a manifold. For example, the Spivak normal fibre space is the analog of the stable normal bundle to the embedding of a manifold in the sphere, and the problem of making this spherical fibre space into a linear bundle (up to fibre homotopy type) is central to the theory of surgery. In his thesis Spivak [5] showed that if 7rl X =0 then a Poincare space X has a Spivak normal fibre space for k>dim X, unique up to fibre homotopy equivalence (see also [2, Ch. I, § 4]). His proof extends to nonsimply connected Poincare spaces X, provided that Poincare duality holds with local coefficients and X is dominated by a finite complex [6J. However, the proof of uniqueness, due essentially to Atiyah [1] makes use of only ordinary homology, and Spanier-Whitehead S-theory. Hence it is quite plausible to think that the Spivak normal fibre space exists also, without any assumptions but Poincare duality with ordinary integer coefficients. We shall show that this is in.fact the case.
A scanning electron microscopic investigation of in vitro osteogenesis

Chick limb mesenchymal cells differentiate into muscle, cartilage, fibrous, and bone tissue. Previous reports show that when stage 24 limb mesenchymal cells are cultured in vitro, chondrocytes, myocytes, fibrocytes, and osteoblasts can be identified on the basis of morphological and biochemical parameters. The study reported here demonstrates that phenotypic expression in culture seems to be dependent on the initial plating density, Scanning electron microscopic observations indicate that when stage 24 limb mesenchymal cells are initially seeded at high densities (5 × 106 cells per 35 mm culture dish), mounds of cells appear in culture. These mounds represent cartilage nodules composed of a fine fibrous matrix and chondrocytes, surrounded by a loose fibrous connective tissue matrix. Cultures initially plated at intermediate densities (2.0–2.5 × 106 cells/35 mm culture dish) produce a flattened layer of fibrocytes overlying a matrix of collagen fibers and calcium phosphate deposits as determined by electron-microprobe analysis; these observations are indicative of osteoblast expression. Cells seeded at this intermediate density appear larger and possess greater surface area than cells seeded at high density. It is suggested that conditions that permit such increased cell surface area coupled with a relative compaction due to cell crowding may provide conditions permissive for osteogenesis. Based on morphological criteria, it appears that chick limb mesenchymal cell osteogenesis in vitro is not associated with chondrogenesis but represents a separate route of phenotypic expression.
Detection of dangerous arrhythmias

Abstract This review focuses on arrhythmias in children and youth occurring in the community. Case examples with illustrative ECGs are presented, differentiation of cardiac from non-cardiac syncope is discussed, and examples of significant misdiagnosis and mismanagement are given. Aside from detection, there is also a focus on prevention, particularly through the recognition of inherited arrhythmic syndromes and through family screening. Key educational messages regarding syncope are the importance of detailed clinical history and of eliciting family history of sudden death, and the potential to misdiagnose arrhythmic syncope as epilepsy, particular when it occurs at night. Note is made that most community sudden death in children occurs at night or rest. In investigating dilated cardiomyopathy, incessant arrhythmias need to be excluded as a cause. Due to an incidence of sudden death in Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome (WPW), children with a delta wave on their ECGs after 4 years of age should see an electrophysiologist to assess risk of sudden death. Syncope with WPW requires immediate referral. To avoid causing iatrogenic harm in acute arrhythmia management, seek advice early and try to avoid the use of intravenous bolus doses of antiarrhythmic drugs with negative inotropic effect, particular verapamil, especially in infancy.
Balancing Busy Lives - A Strategy for Incorporating Nutrition Education in Welfare Reform Programs

Abstract Welfare reform has moved many long time welfare recipients into the workforce. The Oregon Family Nutrition Program (OFNP) designed a series of classes to assist participants be successful in the transition from home to work life. The goal was to provide practical hands on learning experiences to address nutrition and food preparation issues, food safety concerns and managing food resources (e.g: shopping, planning). In collaboration with the Oregon JOBS program, nutrition education has become an intricate part of the ‘employability class' series. Lesson plans and activities were developed to address common concerns of working families - getting good nutrition for families without spending lots of time and money. Class Topics include Budgeting and Food Shopping, Healthy Eating Choices for when You are On The Go, and Food Safety. Participants report a greater degree of confidence in managing resources after attending the classes. Results from the evaluation show participants manage food money, food stamps and insure adequate food supplies by: managing resources consistently to the end of the month (9% increase), maintaining food resources to retain the size of their meal (7% increase). One year later, 25% more families reported they had an adequate food supply. Participants choose healthier food for themselves and their families by using the Food Guide Pyramid to plan meals (18% increase) and reading food labels to choose healthy, nutritious food (8% increase).
Scheduling student employees doesn't have to make you crazy

Scheduling student employees is a challenge for most of us. At the University of Wyoming, we started out doing this by hand. As our pool of student employees grew, we used Excel and PageMaker to make the process cleaner, but it still required about 75 hours of labor each semester. An Access database and ASP web pages were used to handle shift swaps throughout the semester, but it relied on students emailing back and forth and tracking shifts for which they were responsible.We researched software programs that did scheduling, but they were cost prohibitive. We were in the preliminary stages of developing our own all-in-one solution for scheduling and swaps when a colleague introduced us to an affordable web-based solution at the SIGUCCS conference in Portland. Since then, we've helped the vendor develop an integrated time and attendance tracking system. The time saved on scheduling pays for the program, and we no longer have problems with students being confused about their schedules. The added bonus of being able to download the clock entries into our payroll system is just icing on the cake.In this session, we'll look at some of the functionality we were planning to develop ourselves, where we stumbled, and what our successes have been. We've talked about our system informally at several SIGUCCS conferences in the email room and BOFs, and many have asked us to do a formal presentation. Here it is! Anyone who schedules or supervises student employees should attend, whether you supervise seven or 200 students.
Knots and graphs in chemistry

Abstract This paper presents a knot theoretic approach to the study of molecular graphs. It provides examples of molecular knots and links as well as other topologically complex molecules. The paper discusses various topological problems and theorems which were motivated by questions in chemistry. Some of these results have direct applications to the analysis of molecular structures, while other results, though arising out of questions about chemistry, are purely topological in nature.
Cell Na+ activities and transcellular Na+ absorption by descending colon from normal and Na+-deprived rabbits.

The relation between intracellular Na+ activities, (Na)c, determined employing Na+-selective microelectrodes, and the rates of active Na+ absorption,INa, by rabbit descending colon was examined whenINa was varied over a wide range by chronic dietary Na+ deprivation. (Na)c averaged 13 mM and was independent ofINa over a sixfold range. Further, the ratios of the slope resistance of the apical membrane (rm) to that of the basolateral membrane (rs) (i.e.rm/rs) in low-transporters (control diet) and high-transporters (Na+-deprived) did not differ significantly inspite of the fact that the Na+ conductance of the apical membranes of high-transporters was, on the average, three times greater than that of the low-transporters. These findings, together with the results reported by other laboratories, strongly suggest that the aldosterone-induced increase in the conductance of the apical membrane to Na+ and, in turn, the rate of entry of Na+ into the absorptive cells are followed by parallel increases in the ability of cells to extrude Na+ across the basolateral membrane in the absence of a sustained increase in (Na)c as well as the conductance of that barrier.
Timing of Intracranial Hypertension Following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

We asked whether continuous intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring data could provide objective measures of the degree and timing of intracranial hypertension (ICH) in the first week of neurotrauma critical care and whether such data could be linked to outcome. We enrolled adult (>17 years old) patients admitted to our Level I trauma center within 6 h of severe TBI. ICP data were automatically captured and ICP 5-minute means were grouped into 12-hour time periods from admission (hour 0) to >7 days (hour 180). Means, maximum, percent time (% time), and pressure-times-time dose (PTD, mmHg h) of ICP >20 mmHg and >30 mmHg were calculated for each time period. From 2008 to 2010, we enrolled 191 patients. Only 2.1 % had no episodes of ICH. The timing of maximum PTD20 was relatively equally distributed across the 15 time periods. Median ICP, PTD20, %time20, and %time30 were all significantly higher in the 84–180 h time period than the 0–84 h time period. Stratified by functional outcome, those with poor functional outcome had significantly more ICH in hours 84–180. Multivariate analysis revealed that, after 84 h of monitoring, every 5 % increase in PTD20 was independently associated with 21 % higher odds of having a poor functional outcome (adjusted odds ratio = 1.21, 95 % CI 1.02–1.42, p = 0.03). Although early elevations in ICP occur, ICPs are the highest later in the hospital course than previously understood, and temporal patterns of ICP elevation are associated with functional outcome. Understanding this temporal nature of secondary insults has significant implications for management.
Model-based estimation of surface geometry using passive polarimetric imaging

Imaging polarimetry has emerged as a powerful tool for application in the field of remote sensing. In this paper, we present a novel technique for estimating the surface normal angle of each of the individual facets of a target object using passive polarimetric data. The passive polarimetric imaging system described here uses multiple measurements of the output Stokes vectors along with the reflection Mueller matrix, to extract the surface normal angle corresponding to individual facets of the target object. The knowledge of this parameter is indispensable for determining the orientation and surface geometry of the target object and thus facilitates applications like object recognition, shape extraction and building scene geometry. The worst-case error is found to be less than 2%, based on Monte Carlo computer simulation results.
Evaluating the readability of instructional visuals

Text readability has developed from a crude means to classify subjective judgment on text characteristics, to a more theoretical position which compares these attributes with learner characteristics. Visual readability may be following a similar evolutionary path to that of text readability. The Picture Readability Index (PRI) developed in this study utilizes an, interdisciplinary battery of methods adapted from the fields of linguistics, reading, and cognitive psychology. The PRI is designed to assess the readability of instructional illustrations. Readability referes to the success of the image as defined by its objective or caption. Images can be readable in the sense that they inspire cognitive and affective processing. Photographs with low readability inspire reactions that do not go beyond initial first glance responses.
When Leadership Goes Unnoticed: The Moderating Role of Follower Self-Esteem on the Relationship Between Ethical Leadership and Follower Behavior

The authors examined the effects of ethical leadership on follower organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and deviant behavior. Drawing upon research related to the behavioral plasticity hypothesis, the authors examined a moderating role of follower self- esteem in these relationships. Results from a field study revealed that ethical leadership is positively related to follower OCB and negatively related to deviance. We found that these relationships are moderated by followers’ self-esteem, such that the relationships between ethical leadership and OCB as well as between ethical leadership and deviant behavior are weaker when followers’ self-esteem is high than low. Implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.
Decreased association of aged alpha crystallins with gamma crystallins

Previous studies have demonstrated non-covalent interactions of alpha crystallins with gamma crystallins, under true equilibrium conditions. These interactions could affect short-range interactions of lens crystallins that are necessary for the transparent properties of the lens. Since the transparent properties of the lens decrease during aging, it is possible that there are corresponding changes in the ability of aged alpha crystallins to interact with gamma crystallins. In the following study, alpha crystallins were prepared from fetal and aged bovine lenses, then tested for binding to gamma crystallins using microequilibrium dialysis. The results demonstrate that during aging of the normal bovine lens, there is a decrease in the ability of alpha crystallins to bind to gamma crystallins, consistent with the involvement of this interaction in the transparent properties of the lens.
Use of Angler Diaries to Examine Biases Associated with 12-Month Recall on Mail Questionnaires

Abstract A comparison of diary and mail methodologies for a cohort of anglers who fished Lake Ontario was used to examine biases associated with 12-month recall from mail questionnaires. Significant differences in estimates were found between estimates reported by respondents in diaries (1992) versus mail questionnaires (1991) for number of days fished and fish consumption, but not for fishing expenditures and catch. After the data were adjusted for a decline in fishing on Lake Ontario between 1991 and 1992, it was found that angler-days were overestimated by 44–45% on the 12-month recall mail questionnaire. This percentage can serve as an initial estimate of a correction factor for future studies. Lower average annual fish consumption rates were reported in the diary year compared with the mail questionnaire year. However, because of the lower percentage of meals of sport-caught fish during the diary year and the knowledge that sportfishing declined in 1992 for Lake Ontario anglers, it is not clear what ...
Electronic Communication Capabilities of Residential Care Facilities at Times of Transition

Older adults are more frequently discharged from the hospital to post-acute care facilities for recovery.1 Readmissions from these facilities are also increasing: 30-day readmission rates rose from 18 to 24% between 2000 and 2006.2Improved communication betweenresidential care facilities (RCFs) and hospitals may facilitate safer care transitions and reduce harm to older adults.3-4However, little is known about the communication capabilities of RCFs with hospitals; thus, we sought to describe these capabilities in a national sample of RCFs.
Chemotherapeutic and antiresorptive combination therapy suppressed lymphangiogenesis and induced osteonecrosis of the jaw-like lesions in mice

Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a serious adverse event that occurs predominantly in patients on both antiresorptive and antineoplastic therapies. However, how these combination therapies are connected to the high frequency of ONJ in this particular patient population is unclear. This study's aim was to determine a mechanism of ONJ associated with the combination therapy of antiresorptives and chemotherapeutics. Mice received zoledronic acid (ZA) in conjunction with melphalan or dexamethasone. The maxillary first molars were extracted 3 weeks after the initiation of treatment and wound healing assessed at 4 weeks post-extractions using microcomputed tomography and immunohistochemistry. Mice receiving the combination treatment of ZA and melphalan developed ONJ-like lesions, while ONJ-like lesions were not found in mice on ZA or melphalan monotherapy, or the combination treatment of ZA and dexamethasone. ONJ lesions were characterized by a lack of epithelium, exposed necrotic bone, severe inflammatory cell infiltration, and minimal bone formation. Fluorescent immunohistochemistry showed that lymphatic vessel formation was significantly suppressed in ONJ-like lesions with a concomitant decrease in F4/80(+) macrophages expressing vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGFC). Interestingly, significantly suppressed lymphatics were also found in the draining lymph nodes of mice on the combination treatment of ZA and melphalan. Thus, suppressed lymphangiogenesis was strongly associated with the development of ONJ-like lesions in the current study. Since lymphangiogenesis is critical in the resolution of inflammation during wound healing, inflammation control may serve as a potential strategy to prevent ONJ.
Driving Opposing Behaviors with Ensembles of Piriform Neurons

Summary Anatomic and physiologic studies have suggested a model in which neurons of the piriform cortex receive convergent input from random collections of glomeruli. In this model, odor representations can only be afforded behavioral significance upon experience. We have devised an experimental strategy that permits us to ask whether the activation of an arbitrarily chosen subpopulation of neurons in piriform cortex can elicit different behavioral responses dependent upon learning. Activation of a small subpopulation of piriform neurons expressing channelrhodopsin at multiple loci in the piriform cortex, when paired with reward or shock, elicits either appetitive or aversive behavior. Moreover, we demonstrate that different subpopulations of piriform neurons expressing ChR2 can be discriminated and independently entrained to elicit distinct behaviors. These observations demonstrate that the piriform cortex is sufficient to elicit learned behavioral outputs in the absence of sensory input. These data imply that the piriform does not use spatial order to map odorant identity or behavioral output. PaperClip
The Future as a Sociocultural Problem: A Personal Ethnohistory

A review of personal experiences in futures research and education projects provides grounded answers to questions about the theory, method, content, and application of futures in academic and practitioner realms. Case studies including the journal Cultural Futures Research, the annual CONTACT conferences, the Flagstaff Tomorrow research project, the Northern Arizona University (NAU) Solar System Simulation, and the representational device of time lines illustrate the emergence and development of a self-correcting, systematic, and replicable body of knowledge and practice in the study of the future.
Flexible resource-allocating network for noisy data

The resource allocating network (RAN) provides a simple and powerful method for on-line modeling with incremental growth in model complexity. However, the network growing algorithm is susceptible to outliers in the output domain. Pruning techniques subsequently proposed for RAN, though satisfactory for dealing with outliers in the input domain, are incapable of removing units grown in response to outliers in the output domain. The addition of a coarse scale unit in response to an output outlier results in a much larger network where units are wasted to negate the effect of the spurious unit. The resulting network generalizes poorly. In this paper, we discuss the problems associated with RAN in the presence of outliers, and provide a modified learning algorithm which recognizes and prunes units associated with spurious data. We also present a strategy to modify the remaining units, once a unit is pruned.
New trends in orchard spraying1

Since the early part of the century, a steady move in England towards lower volume spraying of orchards has coincided with the progressive introduction of improved spraying techniques. In recent years many growers have adopted very low volume (VLV) spraying (50 litre ha-1) using spinning-disc nozzles with greatly reduced dose rates, often only 25% of the product label recommendation. On well managed farms, this method of spraying has been successful for several years and considerable savings have been made in pesticide use and labour for spraying. On other farms there have been pest and disease control problems but few growers have reverted to spraying at conventional volume or pesticide rates. Trials evidence from the UK and the Netherlands shows the VLV reduced dose-rate spraying technique to be generally less effective than conventional spraying but usually sufficiently effective for commercial purposes. In the Netherlands a compromise method of low volume spraying (150–200 litre ha-1) is being adopted on the recommendation of research and advisory services. This method of spraying is gaining popularity in England. Unfortunately, the method of application stipulated on product labels is usually restricted to a minimum water volume and a pesticide dose per ha. It might be desirable for experimental work for registration purposes to be done to explore optimum application methods for individual pesticides. This information on labels, in a simple form, might lead to the more efficient use of pesticides as well as reflecting the range of application methods in use in the industry.
Increasing the Energy Efficiency of Extractive Distillation

Abstract New flow sheets are developed for extractive distillation when it is used to break azeotropes. Detailed simulations of the model system, ethanol–water–ethylene glycol, are used to determine the energy use and column sizes. Replacing the total condenser used for the concentration column of the classical extractive distillation design with a partial condenser and thus connecting to the second column with a vapor instead of a liquid stream can result in reductions of both heating and cooling requirements of over 20%. An additional 9% reduction in heating and cooling requirements can be obtained with a new recycle design for extractive distillation.
An Examination of Auditors' Reporting Intentions When Another Auditor Is Offered Client Employment

An AICPA ethics ruling prohibits auditors from considering employment with a client during the audit engagement in order to minimize the concerns that financial statement users may have regarding the auditor's independence, in fact or appearance. The objective of this study is to examine auditors' reporting intentions when it is discovered that another auditor is considering employment with the client and has failed to comply with the ethics ruling. We test a model that predicts that auditors' reporting intentions will be influenced by their perceptions of the seriousness of the act, the personal costs of reporting, their responsibility for reporting, and their commitment to the accounting profession. The results indicate that auditors' reporting intentions are stronger when personal costs of reporting are perceived to be lower or personal responsibility for reporting is perceived to be higher. Implications of the findings for audit practice are discussed.
Effect of BMP-2 Derived Peptide Grafted to Nanoparticles on Differentiation of Stromal Cells

Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein (rhBMP-2) plays a major role in differentiation of marrow stromal cells (MSCs). Peptides based on the active domains of rhBMP- 2, like the LYLTSIASLETPVSSAKPIK (BMP peptide), have been proposed as an alternative to reduce the side effects associated with high doses of rhBMP-2. The objective of this work was to determine the osteogenic activity of the BMP peptide grafted to poly(lactide fumarate) nanoparticles (PLAF NPs). A cysteine-terminated BMP peptide was grafted to PLAF NPs by linking the cysteine residue to the fumarate groups. Groups included blank NPs, free BMP peptide, free BMP-2 protein, and BMP-grafted NPs. The decrease in cell numbers after 21 days was consistent with an increase in mineral content and decrease in proliferation with osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. Alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) activity peaked at 14 days, consistent with the start of the osteogenic cascade. A slightly higher mineral content was observed in the BMP-grafted NP group after 14 days. m-RNA and immunostaining showed that cells in the BMP-grafted NP group had a higher content of osteocalcin protein after 21 days. Results suggest that the BMP-grafted NPs have a greater affinity to BMP cell surface receptors, leading to a stronger activation of the pathways leading to osteogenesis.
Study on Flow and Turbulence Inside a Stirred Tank and Investigation on the Effects of Macroinstability on Trailing Vortex Structures

Chemical process industries use stirred tank reactors (STR) for a variety of mixing and blending operations. Turbulent flow inside a baffled stirred tank reactor with a 45° pitched blade impeller is numerically studied using a large-eddy simulation (LES) technique with a body-fitted curvilinear mesh. The moving impeller geometries are modeled using an immersed boundary method (IBM). The instantaneous as well as time-averaged flow field suggests formation of trailing vortex due to the interaction of the fluid streams from the side and top edges of the blade. An enhanced distribution of turbulent kinetic energy has been observed in the vicinity of the trailing vortices. Instabilities occurring at a frequency lower than the frequency of impeller rotation are noticed from the time signal of the velocity components. The growth and break-up of the trailing vortices with this macro-instability frequency is observed. Turbulence is shown to be strongly anisotropic.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
DHHC20: a human palmitoyl acyltransferase that causes cellular transformation

Palmitoylation is required for the activities of several cancer-associated proteins, making the palmitoyl acyltransferase (PAT) enzymes that catalyze these reactions potential targets for anticancer therapeutics. In this study, we sought to identify and characterize a human PAT with activity toward N-terminally myristoylated and palmitoylated proteins. NIH/3t3 cells were stably transfected with vectors containing no insert, wild type human DHHC20, or a serine-substituted DHHS20 mutant. Compared with control cells, cells overexpressing wild-type DHHC20 displayed an increase in palmitoylation activity toward a peptide that mimics the N-terminus of myristoylated and palmitoylated proteins, but had no change in activity toward a peptide that mimics the C-terminus of farnesylated and palmitoylated proteins. Cells expressing DHHS20 had no significant change in activity toward either peptide. Overexpression of DHHC20 also caused phenotypic changes consistent with cellular transformation, including colony formation in soft agar, decreased contact inhibition of growth, and increased proliferation under low-serum conditions. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses of human tissues demonstrated that DHHC20 is expressed in a tissue-specific manner, and is overexpressed in several types of human tumors, including ovarian, breast and prostate. Overall, these results demonstrate that DHHC20 is a human N-terminal-myristoyl-directed PAT involved in cellular transformation, that may play a role in cancer.
Anthropomorphic breast phantoms for quality assurance and dose verification.

An evaluation of two anthropomorphic breast phantoms, which have been designed for quality assurance and dose verification of radiotherapy treatment of breast cancer patients, is presented. These phantoms are identical in terms of their dimensions and shape, and composed of several layers of either Plastic WaterTM or tissue-equivalent material. Both water- and tissue-equivalent phantoms include lung- and rib- equivalent components. The phantoms simulate large, medium and small breasts. The value of the phantoms as breast treatment quality assurance tools was assessed by dose measurements with ionization chamber and thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLD), at different points inside the phantom. Measurements were made by irradiating the phantoms under conditions representing the different treatment techniques, found by the Radiological Physics Center (RPC) during its dosimetry quality audits. Most irradiations were performed with the water-equivalent breast phantom. One experiment was performed under consistent irradiation conditions to compare the tissue-equivalent phantom with the water-equivalent phantom. Measurements were compared with the dose estimated by the RPC?s manual calculations used to check clinical charts of patients entered in a National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) protocol. Measurements were also compared with isodose distributions generated by a commercial radiation treatment planning (RTP) system. In the homogeneous three-dimensional (3-D) phantom, fairly good agreement (within 5%) was observed at the NSABP dose prescription point between measurements and 2-D dose estimation by manual calculations. At the same dose prescription point, but located in the heterogeneous 3-D phantom, agreement between measurements and a 3-D RTP system was within about 3%. Manual calculation resulted in overestimation of up to 6%. The general agreement between the TLD measurements and the 2-D RTP values was within 3% at various off-axis points, with the exception of a few points far off-axis, near the high-dose gradient region at the surface of the phantom.
Divergences and convergences in public affairs education and research

Public affairs and administration is a young discipline that has experienced considerable growth in a short time. Once viewed as a sub-field of political science, the discipline now embraces most of the social sciences and has established a distinct identity in academia. In this paper, the history of public administration is reviewed briefly, with consideration of the emergence of public affairs as a senior field of study. Changes in the characteristics of public affairs programmes at the graduate level are discussed with an emphasis on continuities and discontinuities in core areas of study. Finally, characteristics of the top programmes in public affairs are examined and the future direction for new or established programmes aspiring to improve their standing are discussed.
Arrangement of C-tubule protofilaments in mammalian basal bodies

The arrangement of C-tubule protofilaments was studied in basal bodies of respiratory epithelial cilia using tannic acid staining techniques. At the proximal end of the basal body, the C tubule consisted of 10 protofilaments arranged analogously to the 10 protofilaments of the B tubule. In the region of the basal foot, 5 of the C protofilaments sequentially terminated. First, the C10 and C9 filaments terminated. Then the C1 and C8 filaments terminated, and finally the C7 filament terminated leaving a curved sheet of 5 filaments C2-C6 coursing through the distal third of the basal body. This study validates previous suggestions that the C tubule is incomplete distally, and this study clearly demonstrates the extent and consistency of this incompleteness. This morphological study also raises again the question of the function of the C tubules of basal bodies in light of both the incomplete nature of the C tubule and the apparent minor role of the C tubule in providing attachment sites for the basal foot and the alar sheets.
The relationship between the probability approach and particle models for reaction in homogeneous turbulence

Abstract Chemical reaction in homogeneous turbulence has been studied theoretically using both the probability approach [9–15] and particle models [3–5]. The relationship between these two approaches is determined, thus enabling the advantages of each to be exploited. A sound physical interpretation of the particle model is obtained and in some cases the pdf (probability density function) equations are easier to solve in particle-model form.
A spatial decision support system prototype for housing mobility program planning

This paper presents a GIS-based decision support system prototype intended for use by public housing authority (PHA) administrators and planners designing policy for housing mobility programs. Housing mobility programs enable low-income families, many of whom live in government-operated public housing, to move to more desirable private-market rentals via rent subsidies. Unfortunately, housing authority planners have limited ability to visualize alternative relocation schemes of cohorts of low-income families or the impacts associated with these relocation policies. Thus, they are often not able to give highest-quality advice to clients regarding places to search for private-market rental housing. Housing Location Planner assists PHA planners in three ways: it analyzes spatial, demographic and housing market characteristics of the study area, selects certain portions of the study area for input to an optimization model which generates alternative family allocations, and displays optimization model results in a way that links decision variable values and objective function values. Housing Location Planner is seen as a first step in the development of even more sophisticated multi-stakeholder spatial decision support systems for subsidized housing planning in which one or more alternative allocations of families across a study area is chosen as a basis for policy initiatives.
Heat transfer by a free convection loop embedded in a heat-conducting solid

An open, free convection loop embedded near the surface of a heat-conducting solid is examined numerically. The loop is in the form of a half-torous with duct diameter d and toroidal major radius D2. The solid is heated uniformly from below. Critical Rayleigh numbers (Rac) for the onset of motion are determined. Velocities, exit temperatures, and convective heat transfer rates are determined for dD values of 10−2, 10−3 and 10−4 and for Rayleigh number ratios (RaRac from 1 to 360. The Prandtl number is 2.8 and the fluid/solid thermal conductivity ratio is kfks = 0.133. Results are compared with an analytical solution {7} for a high-conductivity solid, i.e. kfks → 0.
Therapeutic mechanisms of vagus nerve stimulation

Experiments in acute and chronic animal models of epilepsy provide mechanistic insight into the acute abortive, acute prophylactic, and chronic progressive prophylactic, anti-seizure effects of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) observed in human epilepsies, and demonstrate antiepileptogenic effects of VNS in the kindling model. Anatomic-physiologic studies, experimental epilepsy studies, and human imaging, EEG, and CSF studies suggest that multiple mechanisms underlie the antiseizure effects of VNS and that alterations of vagal parasympathetic efferent activities do not underlie these antiseizure effects. Putative antiseizure mechanisms are mediated by altered vagal afferent activities, and probably include altered activities in the reticular activating system, the central autonomic network, the limbic system, and the diffuse noradrenergic projection system. Anatomic-physiologic studies fully account for the common and rare adverse effects of VNS. Current understandings of antiepileptic drug (AED) and VNS therapeutic mechanisms strongly support the "common sense" interpretation of the clinical studies: i.e., adjunctive VNS can add antiseizure effect to any AED regimen, with no interactive toxicity and no effect on drug distribution and elimination.
Predominance of the Cytoplasmic Form of Brain Hexokinase in Cultured Astrocytes

: Astrocytes have been cultured from neonatal rat brain according to the flask culture procedure of Booher and Sensenbrenner. Approximately 80% of the hexokinase (ATP: d-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) activity is found in the soluble fraction in homogenates of these cells, in contrast to only 20% of the total activity in the soluble fraction of whole brain homogenates. The hexokinase from the cultured astrocytes has been compared with the cytoplasmic and glucose-6-P-solubilized mitochondrial enzymes from whole brain. In kinetic properties and pH-activity relationships, the glial hexokinase was similar to the cytoplasmic enzyme but different from the mitochondrial enzyme of whole brain. Using immunohistochemical methods for detecting hexokinase localization at the electron microscopic level, most of the cells showed prominent staining of cytoplasmic areas. If the cultured astrocytes are accepted as valid models for astrocytes in situ, these results support the suggestion of Bigl and co-workers that the predominant form of hexokinase in glial cells is the cytoplasmic enzyme.