cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Value of a cardiovascular limited ultrasound examination using a hand-carried ultrasound device on clinical management in an outpatient medical clinic.

Limited ultrasound imaging studies using hand-carried ultrasound devices at the point of care have individually shown feasibility in the detection of carotid atheroma, left ventricular systolic dysfunction, left atrial enlargement, and abdominal aortic aneurysm. To evaluate the utility of a specific cardiovascular limited ultrasound examination (CLUE) designed to detect all 4 entities in patients seen in an outpatient medical clinic. One hundred ninety-six patients underwent coronary heart disease risk stratification by National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines and CLUE with a hand-carried ultrasound device with cardiac and vascular transducers. CLUE included brief imaging of the carotid arteries, the heart, and the intra-abdominal aorta. The prevalence of abnormal CLUE results and their effect on clinical management were tabulated and stratified by coronary heart disease risk class. Patient age (mean ± SD) was 56 ± 14 years (range 22 to 95), and 32.1% were at low risk, 30.6% at intermediate risk, and 37.2% at high risk. Of the 196 CLUEs, abnormalities were present in 37.2% (32.7% had carotid atheroma, 3.1% had systolic dysfunction, 6.1% had left atrial enlargement, and 1.0% had abdominal aortic aneurysm) and were related to age, increasing coronary heart disease risk, and male gender. Overall, CLUE resulted in new management recommendations in 20% of patients, primarily in coronary heart disease risk prevention. In patients at intermediate risk or aged 60 to 69 years, CLUE resulted in new recommendations in 39% and 37%, respectively. In conclusion, when applied to a clinic population, brief cardiovascular ultrasound exams frequently demonstrate unsuspected findings that can change management.
Corn Program Participation and Farm Program Opinions

A national debate is occurring on whether to reduce and/or eliminate the programs that provide income deficiency payments to farmers. Participation in these programs is voluntary. Therefore, the impacts of downsizing the deficiency payment programs will be greatest for those farmers who currently participate. Past studies of farm program participation focused on the socioeconomic characteristics of
Land degradation and economic sustainability

Abstract Injudicious use of irrigation water due to increased irrigation facilities in some rice-wheat growing regions of northwest India has created the problems of irrigation-induced soil salinity and waterlogging. Apart from disturbing the healthy agri-ecological balance, these soil hazards deteriorate the soil health and fertility status of the soil resulting in low agricultural production, farm income and consequent reduction in farm labour employment. The present study of the Western Jamuna Canal and Bhakra Canal in Haryana (a north-western Indian state) based on a sample of 248 respondents attempts to assess the effect of irrigation-induced soil salinity and waterlogging on farm production, income and employment. The study observed a huge cut in non-land resource use on problem (salt-affected) soils as compared to normal soils, which consequently resulted in low farm production and income. Employment opportunities were also greatly reduced on problem soils.
Cytokine gene variations associated with trait and state anxiety in oncology patients and their family caregivers

Purpose Anxiety is common among cancer patients and their family caregivers (FCs) and is associated with poorer outcomes. Recently, associations between inflammation and anxiety were identified. However, the relationship between variations in cytokine genes and anxiety warrants investigation. Therefore, phenotypic and genotypic characteristics associated with trait and state anxiety were evaluated in a sample of 167 oncology patients with breast, prostate, lung, or brain cancer and 85 of their FCs.
HANDLING MISSING DATA BY DELETING COMPLETELY OBSERVED RECORDS.

Abstract When data are missing, analyzing records that are completely observed may cause bias or inefficiency. Existing approaches in handling missing data include likelihood, imputation and inverse probability weighting. In this paper, we propose three estimators inspired by deleting some completely observed data in the regression setting. First, we generate artificial observation indicators that are independent of outcome given the observed data and draw inferences conditioning on the artificial observation indicators. Second, we propose a closely related weighting method. The proposed weighting method has more stable weights than those of the inverse probability weighting method (Zhao, L., Lipsitz, S., 1992. Designs and analysis of two-stage studies. Statistics in Medicine 11, 769–782). Third, we improve the efficiency of the proposed weighting estimator by subtracting the projection of the estimating function onto the nuisance tangent space. When data are missing completely at random, we show that the proposed estimators have asymptotic variances smaller than or equal to the variance of the estimator obtained from using completely observed records only. Asymptotic relative efficiency computation and simulation studies indicate that the proposed weighting estimators are more efficient than the inverse probability weighting estimators under wide range of practical situations especially when the missingness proportion is large.
Endogenic cratering distribution on the moon.

Medium-resolution Lunar Orbiter V photographs are used for counting and measuring endogenic craters in the Hyginus Rille floor. A Poisson-type crater distribution consisting of the smaller craters, and a Gaussian-type endogenic size-frequency distribution are established on a diameter vs frequency diagram of the craters.
Enhanced arsenic tolerance of transgenic eastern cottonwood plants expressing gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase.

Arsenic is a metalloid that occurs naturally at parts per million (ppm) levels in the earth's crust. Natural and human activities have contributed to arsenic mobilization and increased concentration in the environment, such that World Health Organization guidelines for arsenic levels in drinking water are exceeded at many locations, worldwide. This translates into an increased risk of arsenic-related illnesses for millions of people. Recent studies demonstrate that increasing thiol-sinks in transgenic plants by overexpressing the bacterial gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (ECS) gene results in a higher tolerance and accumulation of metals and metalloids such as cadmium, mercury, and arsenic. We used Agrobacterium-mediated transformation to genetically engineer eastern cottonwood with a bacterial ECS gene. Eastern cottonwood plants expressing ECS had elevated thiol group levels, consistent with increased ECS activity. In addition, these ECS-expressing plants had enhanced growth on levels of arsenate toxic...
EFFECT OF ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION ON INDOLE-3-N-PROPIONIC ACID.

Many effects on living as well as on non-living materials have been produced by ultraviolet radiation so that, in view of the recent interest in the group of organic chemicals known as plant hormones, it seemed advisable to the writers to investigate the effect of ultraviolet radiation on one of such substances. Indole-3-n-propionic acid was chosen because it could be obtained easily and because its effect on plants could readily be determined. The work was divided into two parts : one concerned with the effects of the radiation on the acid, and the other with the effects of the irradiated acid on the roots of plants.
Self-organized nitrogen and fluorine co-doped titanium oxide nanotube arrays with enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance.

Self-organized nitrogen and fluorine co-doped titanium oxide (TiONF) nanotube arrays were created by anodizing titanium foil in a fluoride and ammoniate-based electrolyte, followed by calcination of the amorphous nanotube arrays under a nitrogen protective atmosphere for crystallization. TiONF nanotube arrays were found to have enhanced visible light absorption capability and photodegradation efficiency on methylene blue under visible light illumination over the TiO2 nanotube arrays. The enhancement was dependent on both the nanotube structural architecture and the nitrogen and fluorine co-doping effect. TiONF nanotube arrays promise a wide range of technical applications, especially for environmental applications and solar cell devices.
Update on the dermatologic use of systemic glucocorticosteroids.

: Systemic glucocorticosteroids (GCS) remain a first-line therapy for a variety of dermatologic diseases. The purpose of this article is to review the major pharmacologic properties and drug interactions of GCS, as well as the mechanisms of action, dosing and delivery options, and major adverse effects. In addition, the present authors will discuss the major indications and practical suggestions for the use of systemic GCS in dermatology.
Mitral Insufficiency Secondary to Aortic Valvular Bacterial Endocarditis

The anterior leaflet of the mitral valve is partly continuous through a fibrous membrane with the aortic valve. Lying immediately subjacent to the aortic valve, the mitral valve and its chordae may become secondarily infected in instances of primary aortic valvular bacterial endocarditis. Destructive changes of the anterior mitral leaflet or mitral chordae may lead to mitral insufficiency. The latter may dominate the functional and clinical pictures. In some instances, when infection is overcome, the clinical picture may appear to be that of primary mitral valvular disease.
In situ degranulation of human nasal mucosal mast cells: Ultrastructural features and cell-cell associations

Mucosal mast cells in human nasal turbinates obtained at surgery were studied by electron microscopy before and after exposure en bloc to a degranulating stimulus. Mast cells occurred as solitary cells and in islets typically containing one mast cell and one to three mononuclear cells. All islets and most solitary mast cells were associated with thin cytoplasmic processes of distinctive, branched stromal cells that also phagocytosed debris from pyknotic mast cells. Mast cells were grouped into three categories based largely on published ultrastructural criteria. Resting (nondegranulating) mast cells possessed secretory granules that typically packed the cytoplasm and contained a densely stained amorphous material and scroll-like crystalline profiles. Granules in some resting cells were larger, more polymorphic, and appeared nearly homogeneous. Secretory granules of degranulating mast cells possessed crystalline, scroll-like, or reticular constituents predominantly with interspersed amorphous material. Granules were fewer in number and were often concentrated in the peripheral cytoplasm. Few degranulating mast cells exhibited labyrinth formation or exocytosis of granule contents. Largely degranulated mast cells had few if any typical granules but possessed small vacuoles containing recognizable granule remnants. Resting and degranulating mast cells possessed very long cell surface projections that, in places, interdigitated to form stacks of parallel folds above the plasmalemma, resulting in a threefold increase in cell-surface area. The surface membrane of the folds appeared to be continuous with that lining intracytoplasmic channels extending from the cell surface to the Golgi zone.
Elongational rheology of polymer melts and solutions

Elongational rheological properties of polymer melts and solutions may be measured using nonlubricated flow characteristics through a semihyperbolic converging die. The effects of body forces related to developing orientation in the fluid during converging extensional flow are so strong that the shearing contribution become negligible in comparison, eliminating the need for lubrication to achieve an essentially pure elongational flow. The effective elongational viscosities of polypropylene melts and lyocell solutions correlated with shear-flow determinations were used to estimate the enthalpy and entropy changes as function of processing conditions. The flow of lyocell solutions through a converging die had, as a result, not only phase separation and cellulose crystallization, but also microfibers formation and high orientation. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 69: 2357–2367, 1998
Temporal variation in organic carbon spiraling in Midwestern agricultural streams

Inland freshwaters transform and retain up to half of the carbon that enters from the terrestrial environment and have recently been recognized as important components of regional and global carbon budgets. However, the importance of small streams to these carbon budgets is not well understood due to the lack of globally-distributed data, especially from streams draining agricultural landscapes. We quantified organic carbon pools and heterotrophic metabolism seasonally in 6 low-order streams draining row-crop fields in northwestern Indiana, USA, and used these data to examine patterns in organic carbon spiraling lengths (SOC; km), downstream velocities (VOC; m/d), and turnover rates (KOC; day−1). There were seasonal differences in SOC, with the longest spiraling lengths in winter (range: 7.7–54.4 km) and the shortest in early and late summer (range: 0.2–9.0 km). This seasonal pattern in SOC was primarily driven by differences in discharge, suggesting that hydrology tightly controls the fate of organic carbon in these streams. KOC did not differ seasonally, and variability (range: 0.0007–0.0193 day−1) was controlled by differences in stream water soluble reactive phosphorus concentrations. Compared to previous studies conducted primarily in forested streams, agricultural streams tended to be less retentive of organic carbon. These systems function predominantly as conduits transporting organic carbon to downstream ecosystems, except during low, stable-flow periods (i.e., late summer) when agricultural streams can be as retentive of organic carbon as forested headwaters. High organic carbon retention in the late summer has implications for coupled carbon and nitrogen cycling (i.e., denitrification), which may play an important role in removing nitrate from stream water during periods of low flow.
Decentralized dynamic control of a multiaccess broadcast channel

Retransmission policies are presented for the decentralized control of a multiaccess packet-switched broadcast channel. The policies have a simple recursive form yielding a Markov description of the system. Finite average delay is achieved for an infinite-population Poisson arrival model for any rate \lambda . It is proposed that the goal of retransmission policies should be to maintain the traffic intensity at a nearly constant, optimum level. The policies we introduce achieve this goal by nearly decoupling the dynamics of the traffic intensity from the backlog fluctuations. Analysis and simulations show that the policies perform well, even when the channel feedback information is unreliable or incomplete.
The Ste20 kinases Ste20-related proline-alanine-rich kinase and oxidative-stress response 1 regulate NKCC1 function in sensory neurons.

NKCC1 is highly expressed in dorsal root ganglion neurons, where it is involved in gating sensory information. In a recent study, it was shown that peripheral nerve injury results in increased NKCC1 activity, not due to an increase in cotransporter expression, but to increased phosphorylation of the cotransporter (Pieraut, S., Matha, V., Sar, C., Hubert, T., Mechaly, I., Hilaire, C., Mersel, M., Delpire, E., Valmier, J., and Scamps, F. (2007) J. Neurosci. 27, 6751–6759). Our laboratory has also identified two Ste20-like kinases that bind and phosphorylate NKCC1: Ste20-related proline-alanine-rich kinase (SPAK) and oxidative-stress response 1 (OSR1). In this study, we show that both kinases are expressed at similar expression levels in spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion neurons, and that both kinases participate equally in the regulation of NKCC1. Using a novel fluorescence method to assay NKCC1 activity in single cells, we show a 50% reduction in NKCC1 activity in DRG neurons isolated from SPAK knockout mice, indicating that another kinase, e.g. OSR1, is present to phosphorylate and activate the cotransporter. Using a nociceptive dorsal root ganglion sensory neuronal cell line, which expresses the same cation-chloride cotransporters and kinases as native DRG neurons, and gene silencing via short hairpin RNA, we demonstrate a direct relationship between kinase expression and cotransporter activity. We show that inactivation of either kinase significantly affects NKCC1 activity, whereas inactivation of both kinases results in an additive effect. In summary, our study demonstrates redundancy of kinases in the regulation of NKCC1 in dorsal root ganglion neurons.
Dressed skeleton expansion and the coupling scale ambiguity problem

Perturbative expansions in quantum field theories are usually expressed in powers of a coupling constant. In principle, the infinite sum of the expansion series is independent of the renormalization scale of the coupling constant. In practice, there is a remnant dependence of the truncated series on the renormalization scale. This scale ambiguity can severely restrict the predictive power of theoretical calculations. The dressed skeleton expansion is developed as a calculational method which avoids the coupling scale ambiguity problem. In this method, physical quantities are expressed as functional expansions in terms of a coupling vertex function. The arguments of the vertex function are given by the physical momenta of each process. These physical momenta effectively replace the unspecified renormalization scale and eliminate the ambiguity problem. This method is applied to various field theoretical models and its main features and limitations are explored. For quantum chromodynamics, an expression for the running coupling constant of the three-gluon vertex is obtained. The effective coupling scale of this vertex is shown to be essentially given by [mu][sup 2] [approximately] Q[sub min][sup 2]Q[sub med][sup 2]/Q[sub max][sup 2] where Q[sub min][sup 2]Q[sub med][sup 2]/Q[sub max][sup 2] are respectively the smallest, the next-to-smallest and the largest scale amongmore » the three gluon virtualities. This functional form suggests that the three-gluon vertex becomes non-perturbative at asymmetric momentum configurations. Implications for four-jet physics is discussed.« less
Upf1p, Nmd2p, and Upf3p Regulate the Decapping and Exonucleolytic Degradation of both Nonsense-Containing mRNAs and Wild-Type mRNAs

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, rapid degradation of nonsense-containing mRNAs requires the decapping enzyme Dcp1p, the 5'-to-3' exoribonuclease Xrn1p, and the three nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) factors, Upf1p, Nmd2p, and Upf3p. To identify specific functions for the NMD factors, we analyzed the mRNA decay phenotypes of yeast strains containing deletions of DCP1 or XRN1 and UPF1, NMD2, or UPF3. Our results indicate that Upf1p, Nmd2p, and Upf3p regulate decapping and exonucleolytic degradation of nonsense-containing mRNAs. In addition, we show that these factors also regulate the same processes in the degradation of wild-type mRNAs. The participation of the NMD factors in general mRNA degradation suggests that they may regulate an aspect of translation termination common to all transcripts.
Fin and gill biopsies are effective nonlethal samples for detection of Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus genotype IVb

Nonlethal sampling is becoming a common method to diagnose fish diseases, especially with the availability of molecular testing. Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is a viral pathogen of finfish distributed worldwide. Although VHSV has been known to occur in some parts of the world for decades, a new genotype, IVb, recently emerged in the Laurentian Great Lakes of northeastern North America. Golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas; Mitchill, 1814) and fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas; Rafinesque, 1820) were exposed to VHSV-IVb doses between 10(2) and 10(6) plaque forming units per fish by intraperitoneal injection at 10°C. Both species experienced significant mortality after exposure, ranging from 38% to 52% in golden shiners and from 35% to 95% in fathead minnows. In golden shiners, a fin or gill sample was somewhat less sensitive at detecting VHSV-IVb by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) than a pooled organ sample (consisting of liver, anterior and posterior kidney, spleen, and heart), however the relative sensitivity increased when a fin and gill sample were tested in parallel. In fathead minnows, a fin or gill sample tested alone or in parallel was relatively more sensitive than a pooled organ sample by qRT-PCR. Specificity was 100% for all sample types in both species. The results suggest that fin and gill biopsies are useful tools to test for VHSV in live fish.
ARNO is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for ADP-ribosylation factor 6.

ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs) constitute a family of small monomeric GTPases. ARFs 1 and 3 function in the recruitment of coat proteins to membranes of the Golgi apparatus, whereas ARF6 is localized to the plasma membrane, where it appears to modulate both the assembly of the actin cytoskeleton and endocytosis. Like other GTPases, ARF activation is facilitated by specific guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). ARNO (ARF nucleotide-binding site opener) is a member of a growing family of ARF-GEFs that share a common, tripartite structure consisting of an N-terminal coiled-coil domain, a central domain with homology to the yeast protein Sec7p, and a C-terminal pleckstrin homology domain. Recently, ARNO and its close homologue cytohesin-1 were found to catalyze in vitronucleotide exchange on ARF1 and ARF3, respectively, raising the possibility that these GEFs function in the Golgi. However, the actual function of these proteins may be determined in part by their ability to interact with specific ARFs and in part by their subcellular localization. We report here that in vitro ARNO can stimulate nucleotide exchange on both ARF1 and ARF6. Furthermore, based on subcellular fractionation and immunolocalization experiments, we find that ARNO is localized to the plasma membrane in mammalian cells rather than the Golgi. It is therefore likely that ARNO functions in plasma membrane events by modulating the activity of ARF6 in vivo. These findings are consistent with the previous observation that cytohesin-1 regulates the adhesiveness of αLβ2integrins at the plasma membrane of lymphocytes.
Improving tritium exposure reconstructions using accelerator mass spectrometry

Direct measurement of tritium atoms by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) enables rapid low-activity tritium measurements from milligram-sized samples and permits greater ease of sample collection, faster throughput, and increased spatial and/or temporal resolution. Because existing methodologies for quantifying tritium have some significant limitations, the development of tritium AMS has allowed improvements in reconstructing tritium exposure concentrations from environmental measurements and provides an important additional tool in assessing the temporal and spatial distribution of chronic exposure. Tritium exposure reconstructions using AMS were previously demonstrated for a tree growing on known levels of tritiated water and for trees exposed to atmospheric releases of tritiated water vapor. In these analyses, tritium levels were measured from milligram-sized samples with sample preparation times of a few days. Hundreds of samples were analyzed within a few months of sample collection and resulted in the reconstruction of spatial and temporal exposure from tritium releases. Although the current quantification limit of tritium AMS is not adequate to determine natural environmental variations in tritium concentrations, it is expected to be sufficient for studies assessing possible health effects from chronic environmental tritium exposure.
Functional replacement of the Escherichia coli D-(-)-lactate dehydrogenase gene (ldhA) with the L-(+)-lactate dehydrogenase gene (ldhL) from Pediococcus acidilactici.

The microbial production of l-(+)-lactic acid is rapidly expanding to allow increased production of polylactic acid (PLA), a renewable, biodegradable plastic. The physical properties of PLA can be tailored for specific applications by controlling the ratio of l-(+) and d-(−) isomers. For most uses of PLA, the l-(+) isomer is more abundant. As an approach to reduce costs associated with biocatalysis (complex nutrients, antibiotics, aeration, product purification, and waste disposal), a recombinant derivative of Escherichia coli W3110 was developed that contains five chromosomal deletions (focA-pflB frdBC adhE ackA ldhA). This strain was constructed from a d-(−)-lactic acid-producing strain, SZ63 (focA-pflB frdBC adhE ackA), by replacing part of the chromosomal ldhA coding region with Pediococcus acidilactici ldhL encoding an l-lactate dehydrogenase. Although the initial strain (SZ79) grew and fermented poorly, a mutant (SZ85) was readily isolated by selecting for improved growth. SZ85 exhibited a 30-fold increase in l-lactate dehydrogenase activity in comparison to SZ79, functionally replacing the native d-lactate dehydrogenase activity. Sequencing revealed mutations in the upstream, coding, and terminator regions of ldhL in SZ85, which are presumed to be responsible for increased l-lactate dehydrogenase activity. SZ85 produced l-lactic acid in M9 mineral salts medium containing glucose or xylose with a yield of 93 to 95%, a purity of 98% (based on total fermentation products), and an optical purity greater than 99%. Unlike other recombinant biocatalysts for l-lactic acid, SZ85 remained prototrophic and is devoid of plasmids and antibiotic resistance genes.
Gravitational lensing of active galactic nuclei.

Abstract Most of the known cases of strong gravitational lensing involve multiple imaging of an active galactic nucleus. The properties of lensed active galactic nuclei make them promising systems for astrophysical applications of gravitational lensing; in particular, they show structure on scales of milliseconds of arc to tens of seconds of arc, they are variable, and they are polarized. More than 20 cases of strong gravitational lenses are now known, and about half of them are radio sources. High-resolution radio imaging is making possible the development of well-constrained lens models. Variability studies at radio and optical wavelengths are beginning to yield results of astrophysical interest, such as an independent measure of the distance scale and limits on source sizes.
Channel doping impact on FinFETs for 22nm and beyond

The natural choice to achieve multiple threshold voltages (V th ) in fully-depleted devices is by choosing the appropriate gate workfunction for each device. However, this comes at the cost of significantly higher process complexity. The absence of a body contact in FinFETs and insensitivity to back-gate bias leaves the conventional channel doping approach as the most practical technique to achieve multiple V th . This choice, however, introduces a variable that is usually not considered in the context of fully depleted devices. For the first time, we demonstrate a multiple V th solution at relevant device geometries and gate pitch for the 22nm node. We investigated the impact of FinFET channel doping on relevant device parameters such as T inv , mobility, electrostatic control and V th mismatch. We also show that V th extraction by the “constant current” method could mislead the DIBL analysis of devices with greatly different channel mobility.
Asymptotic results for a conditional Poisson log-linear model

Abstract A minimum modified transformed chi-square estimator for the conditional Poisson log-linear model subject to general linear exact and stochastic constraints is defined. Lagrange multiplier and Wald tests are given for the general exact linear hypothesis and the general stochastic linear hypothesis. The asymptotic distributions of the estimator and test statistics are presented.
Customer loyalty in entertainment venues: The reality TV genre

Abstract Current knowledge regarding the drivers of consumers' loyalty in service contexts remains limited as findings from extant studies differ; possibly because in service settings drivers of loyalty are context specific. This study contributes toward better understanding of the drivers of consumer loyalty in service contexts through investigation of the $750 billion U.S. entertainment industry. Findings from the entertainment industry should generalize to several other important service areas including spectator sports, Internet and social networking sites.
Optimal immunosuppression in teenagers

: Adolescence is a difficult time for transplant recipients, who need to cope with the challenges of becoming independent from their parents, as well as taking responsibility for their own behavior and medication. They need to balance their developing sexuality with a body image which may be affected by the side-effects of immunosuppression. It is now anticipated that more than 80% of children will survive their transplant to become teenagers and adults, and it is therefore important to ensure that immunosuppressive medication is acceptable, convenient for drug level monitoring and free of significant long-term side-effects.
The effects of sentence structure on the recall of low frequency words

The recall of low frequency words presented in either sentence order or random order was found to interact with trials. The recall of words presented in sentence order was inferior on early trials but superior on later trials.
Gait deviations in patients operated on bladder extrophy

Based on these vectors the forward – backward bending and rotation from the upper trunk with respect to lower trunk and pelvis, and from the lower trunk with respect to the pelvis were analyzed. Furthermore, the torsional offset (TO) [2] of upper trunkwith respect to lower trunkandpelvis andTOof lower trunkwith respect to pelvis were calculated in the different phases of the gait cycle. Results: In the scoliosis group, mean Cobb angle was 26.03◦ ±7.14 and mean spinal rotation was 22.77%±6.79. Sagital plane kinematics werewithin normal ranges at the ankle, knee and hip. High AI was found for frontal and transverse plane kinematics. In loading respons, AI for peak pelvis obliquity and peak hip exorotation in the scoliotic group was 13.39% and 49.83% respectively, compared to −16.58% and −7.6% in the control group. In pre-swing, AI for peak pelvis exorotation was −67.39% in the scoliotic group compared to 7.26% in the control group. In swing AI for peak hip abduction was −10.90% in the scoliotic group compared to -1.68% in the control group. Upper to lower trunk rotation was continuously clockwise in the scoliosis group while in the control group the rotation was symmetric. Upper trunk to pelvis motion showed a bending of 4.5◦ in the scoliosis group and 32.3◦ in the control group. Rotation was similar in both groups. Lower trunk to pelvis motion was similar in both groups with 3–4◦ of bending and 11.5–12◦ of rotation switching clockwise to anti-clockwise during the gait cycle, but the switch occurred later in the gait cycle in the scoliotic group. Discussion and conclusions: AI up to 14% are reported in normal subjects [2]. We found high AI for frontal and transverse plane motion compared to normal data,which canbe related to the spinal deformation in these planes. An excessive pelvic clockwise rotation coincides with an excessive anticlockwise torsion of the upper trunk. Compensatory hip rotation was found to align the legs into the walking direction. The lack of bending of the upper trunk and the delay in switch in rotation of the lower trunkwith respect to the pelvis might be due to the rotational deformity and rigidity of the scoliotic spine. Insight in how different parts of the trunk act during gait in subjects with scoliosis will enhance the understanding of the pathology and will provide information for optimized treatment. Therefore, further research on a larger population including kinetic analysis will be performed.
A benchmark algorithm for elastoplasticity with multiple yield surfaces

Abstract A benchmark algorithm is proposed to calculate the stress-strain responses of elastoplastic models with multiple yield surfaces during the multi-dimensional cyclic loadings encountered in soil dynamics and earthquake engineering. The algorithm is based on the linearized integration technique1. It is applied to the Prevost2 model but pertains also to other elastoplastic models with multiple yield surfaces. The proposed method is applied to calculate the strain response during a constant pressure test and a circular stress path loading in the deviatoric plane. It is a benchmark algorithm to calibrate the stress-point routines of nonlinear finite element codes. It is especially useful in soil dynamics to compare the predictions of elastoplastic models with the experimental results of multidimensional shear tests.
Plasma renin and prorenin (inactive renin) in diabetes mellitus: effects of intravenous furosemide.

PRA, active renin, and prorenin were measured in 32 normotensive diabetic patients and 14 normal subjects of similar ages before and after iv injection of 40 mg furosemide. The majority of the diabetic patients had normal PRA and active renin levels before and after furosemide, but in 4 normal subjects and 5 diabetic patients PRA did not rise after furosemide treatment to at least 0.25 ng angiotensin I/(L.s) as previously found in 90% of normal subjects. Two thirds of the diabetic patients had higher plasma prorenin levels than the normal subjects. Four of the 5 diabetic patients whose PRA failed to rise to the usual level after furosemide treatment attained a plasma prorenin level higher than any normal subject, suggesting that furosemide stimulated synthesis and secretion of prorenin, but that conversion of prorenin to active renin was impaired. These 5 diabetic patients also had higher plasma creatinine and potassium levels as well as an increased frequency of albuminuria compared with the other diabetic patients. In contrast, the 4 normal subjects whose PRA failed to reach the usual level after furosemide treatment had low unresponsive prorenin levels, indicating that furosemide did not evoke the expected increase in prorenin or renin synthesis. We conclude that the inability of some diabetic patients to increase PRA after furosemide treatment is not dependent on failure of renin synthesis, but reflects an impairment of the normal processing of prorenin, leading to high levels of prorenin in plasma.
Psychophysical measures of exertion. Are they muscle group dependent

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the applicability of the RPE (CR-10) scale for a number of physical exertions which employ only the upper limb with a variety of muscle group sizes and exertion levels. Ten female and ten male subjects performed pinch and pulling tasks in which four different muscle groups were engaged employing the finger, wrist, forearm and the whole arm. MVC (maximum voluntary contraction) exertion levels, RPE (Borg's CR-10 scale) value, and accuracy of the subjective assessment were measured. The results indicate that the accuracy of psychophysical measures are not muscle dependent although force generating capability is dependent on the muscle group involved. Female subjects were found more accurate in their perception of perceived exertion at lower levels of exertion than male subjects. It also appears that the RPE rating can be used to assess a variety of exertion levels accurately for a range of tasks, involving a range of muscle group sizes and location.
The theory of collective action and burden sharing in NATO

Mancur Olson's theory of collective action could account for much of the variance in the defense burdens of the allied nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the early years of the Cold War, but the association between economic size (gross domestic product, or GDP) and defense burden (the ratio of military expenditures to GDP) has declined to insignificant levels. Two influences are shown to be important in producing this change: the increased pursuit of private goods by Greece, Turkey, and Portugal and the growing cooperation among the other European allies. Since cooperation in the military realm has not provided the Europeans with credible means of self-defense, it appears to be a consequence of the general growth of interdependence in Europe during the postwar period. NATO is still essentially a uniquely privileged group producing a relatively pure public good. Accordingly, the theory of collective action continues to provide valuable insights into the operation of the alliance.
Gender and Religion: Deconstructing Universality, Constructing Complexity1

The universality of higher female religiousness and insufficiency of any social explanation have led to proposals that it is a product of psychological or physiological differences. However, the female advantage in religiousness is not universal. Distinguishing affective (personal piety) from active (organizational participation) religiousness, in a third of nations (World Values Survey) women are no higher than men in active religiousness. Among Jews and Muslims worldwide, men are more religious than women. Combined, social factors actually explain much of the gender disparity in U.S. religiousness (General Social Survey); with personality, all of it in active religiousness. The author discusses implications for understanding gender.
Virtual Channel Discrimination is Improved by Current Focusing in Cochlear Implant Recipients

Abstract Cochlear implant users’ spectral resolution is limited by both the number of implanted electrodes and channel interactions between electrodes. Current steering (virtual channels) between two adjacent monopolar electrodes has been used to increase the number of spectral channels across the electrode array. However, monopolar stimulation is associated with large current spread and increased channel interaction. Current focusing across three adjacent electrodes (tripolar stimulation) has been used to reduce electrode current spread and improve channel selectivity. In the present study, current steering and current focusing were combined within a four-electrode stimulation pattern (quadrupolar virtual channels), thereby addressing the need for both increased channels and reduced current spread. Virtual channel discrimination was measured in 7 users of the Advanced Bionics Clarion II or HiRes 90K implants; virtual channel discrimination was compared between monopolar and quadrupolar virtual channels at three stimulation sites. The results showed that quadrupolar virtual channels provided better spectral resolution than monopolar virtual channels. The results suggested that quadrupolar virtual channels might provide the “best of both worlds” improving the number of spectral channels while reducing channel interactions.
Reciprocal space analysis of the initial stages of strain relaxation in SiGe epilayers

Metastable SiGe films were grown by MBE on Si (001) substrates and annealed to promote varying degrees of partial relaxation. X-ray diffraction reciprocal-space analysis was then used to monitor the structural evolution of the displacement fields of the dislocation array with increasing misfit density. The diffuse-x-ray-scattering patterns of the dislocated heterolayers were compared with lineal- misfit densities determined by defect etching, leading to the develop a geometric model which provides a framework for understanding the early-stage evolution of the displacement fields of the dislocation array, and which also explicitly links diffuse x-ray intensity to misfit density. At low misfit density, the diffuse intensity arises from two-dimensional displacement fields associated with single-nonoverlapping dislocations. As misfit density increases, the displacement fields of individual dislocations increasingly overlap producing three-dimensional displacements. The evolving diffuse intensity reflects the transition from 2-D to 3-D displacement fields. Finally, it is demonstrated that the diffuse x-ray intensity of the strained epilayer can be used to accurately measure lineal misfit- dislocation densities from 400 to 20,000 lines/cm.
Variation in the Percentage of Female Births over Time in Five Breeds of Registered Beef Cattle1

Breed and sire effects on the percentage of female births over time in five breeds of registered beef cattle were studied. Breed groups were managed separately, and matings were performed by artificial insemination and natural service. The percentage of female births was included in the study for sires that were used for at least 2 yr and sired at least seven progeny. Progeny of 48 Angus, 7 Charolais, 19 Horned Hereford, 17 Polled Hereford, and five Red Poll sires were used in the study. The numbers of birth years by breed were 33, 21, 31, 31, and 15 for Angus, Charolais, Horned Hereford, Polled Hereford and Red Poll, respectively. Variances for breed and sire were partitioned for percentage female births using a nested random effects analysis of variance. Breed effects for percentage of female births were 0.46% of total variance. Sire effects accounted for 0.27% of total variance. Means for percentage female births by breed were 50 ± 1% for Angus, 47 ± 3% for Charolais, 48 ± 2% for Horned Hereford, 52 ± 2% for Polled Hereford, and 49 ± 5% for Red Poll. Although sire variance was minimal, there were some sires that consistently produced a greater or lesser number of females over time. These results suggest that more research is needed to determine the factors that influence sex ratio in cattle due to its economic importance to the industry.
A comparison of skeletal growth and maturation in undernourished and well-nourished girls before and after menarche.

The skeletal maturational progress of 30 undernourished and 30 well-nourished girls was followed from early childhood to early adulthood. Progress was evaluated from radiographs of the left hand taken every 6 months and from height measurements taken every 3 months. Chronic undernutrition slowed the rate of both skeletal growth and skeletal maturation, delayed menarche, and prolonged the growth period. The retarding influence on the growing skeleton was most pronounced before menarche. There was no appreciable difference in adult height between groups as the longer growth time of the undernourished girls apparently balanced the faster growth rate of the well-nourished girls.
Raffinose content may influence cottonseed susceptibility to aflatoxin contamination

The effect of the cotton storage trisaccharide raffinose and cottonseed storage protein (CSP) in combination on aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus was investigated. The ability of ground whole cottonseed and water-extracted cottonseed meal to support fungal biosynthesis of aflatoxin also was assessed in vitro. Dose response data showed that utilization of raffinose as a sole carbon source supported growth and aflatoxin production by A. flavus. When raffinose was a carbon source and CSP was the sole nitrogen source, aflatoxin levels were stimulated up to fourfold above those in raffinose reference media. Results with ground whole cottonseed as a sole carbon/nitrogen source demonstrated the capacity for aflatoxin production in A. flavus cultures. Lipid extraction of ground whole seed severely reduced aflatoxigenesis potential; however, lipid extraction followed by water extraction of ground whole seed restored much of the aflatoxin biosynthetic potential, suggesting the presence of a water soluble inhibitory factor. Accessible carbon appeared to be the limiting resource in water-extracted meal, as a raffinose supplement stimulated aflatoxin production. Either cottonseed storage lipid or raffinose was capable of providing accessible carbon to A. flavus. Raffinose and CSP in developing and mature cottonseed may predispose seed to potentially high levels of aflatoxin contamination by A. flavus upon seed infection.
Comparison of transcriptomic landscapes of bovine embryos using RNA-Seq

Advances in sequencing technologies have opened a new era of high throughput investigations. Although RNA-seq has been demonstrated in many organisms, no study has provided a comprehensive investigation of the bovine transcriptome using RNA-seq. In this study, we provide a deep survey of the bovine embryonic transcriptomes, the first application of RNA-seq in cattle. Embryos cultured in vitro were used as models to study early embryonic development in cattle. RNA amplified from limited amounts of starting total RNA were sequenced and mapped to the reference genome to obtain digital gene expression at single base resolution. In particular, gene expression estimates from more than 1.6 million unannotated bases in 1785 novel transcribed units were obtained. We compared the transcriptomes of embryos showing distinct developmental statuses and found genes that showed differential overall expression as well as alternative splicing. Our study demonstrates the power of RNA-seq and provides further understanding of bovine preimplantation embryonic development at a fine scale.
Delayed gentamicin elimination in patients with severe preeclampsia

Gentamicin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic frequently used in the treatment of mixed polymicrobial infections. Because patients with preeclampsia exhibit compromised renal function, decreased intravascular volume, and increased extravascular fluid, it was theorized gentamicin may be handled differently in normotensive versus preeclamptic patients. Eighteen patients with postpartum endometritis receiving gentamicin were divided into three treatment groups based on the presence and severity of preeclamptic symptoms. After the gentamicin steady state was achieved, serum samples were collected at 30, 150, and 450 minutes following completion of a timed 30-minute infusion. The mean half-life and gentamicin clearance in severe preeclamptic patients (3.15 hours and 91.5 ml/min) were significantly different from normotensive patients (2.38 hours and 135.9 ml/min) and mild preeclamptic patients (1.87 hours and 142 ml/min). No significant differences in volume of distribution were seen. A high correlation between elimination rate and distribution volume was noted in normotensive patients; however, a moderate correlation was seen in patients with preeclampsia. Therefore, alterations in renal function in patients with severe preeclampsia, and not changes in volume of distribution, may be the primary cause for delayed aminoglycoside elimination.
A distributed query processing strategy using placement dependency

We present an algorithm to make use of placement dependency information to process distributed queries. Our algorithm first partitions the referenced relations of a given query into a number of non-exclusive subsets such that the fragmented relations within a subset have placement dependency and the join operation(s) associated with the relations in the subset can be locally processed without data transfer. Each subset is associated with a set of sites and can be used to generate an execution plan for the given query. It does this by keeping the fragmented relations in the subset fragmented at the sites where they are situated, while replicating the other referenced relations at each of the processing sites. Among the alternatives, our algorithm picks the plan that gives the minimum response time. Our experimental results show that our algorithm improves response time significantly.