cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nilsemigroups on trees

We show how to reconstruct finite commutative nilsemigroups from their underlying partially ordered sets, and characterize which finite trees underlie finite commutative nilsemigroups.
The German yellowjacket (Vespula germanica) problem in the United States (Hymenoptera: Vespidae).

Yellowjackets are the familiar social wasps which typically build large paper nests consisting of multiple combs enclosed in an envelope (see Greene and Caron 1980). Workers of all yellowjacket species aggressively defend their colony if it is disturbed and such workers are probably responsible for many of the stinging episodes attributed to “wasps and bees” (Fluno 1961, Barr 1974). Although difficult to accurately document, the number of serious reactions and deaths resulting from yellowjacket stings is high enough to have stimulated an increasingly greater interest of medical researchers into the problems of human hypersensitivity to yellowjacket venom and venom desensitization methodology. Akre et al. (1980) reviewed the medical importance of yellowjackets, as well as the economic impact of yellowjackets on resorts, campgrounds, lumber operations, fruit harvests, etc., in those areas of the USA periodically experiencing years of yellowjacket abundance.
Discontinuous Galerkin Multimodel Methods for Optimal Control of Aeroacoustics

DOI: 10.2514/1.23798 A new multimodel computational framework for optimal control of aeroacoustic noise is presented using a nearfield compressible Navier–Stokes solver coupled with a far-field linearized Euler solver, both based on a discontinuous Galerkin formulation. In this approach, the coupling of near- and far-field domains is achieved by weakly enforcing continuity of normal fluxes across a coupling surface that encloses all nonlinearities and noise sources.Foroptimalcontrol,gradientinformationisobtainedbythesolutionofanappropriateadjointproblemthat involves the propagationof adjoint information from the far fieldto the near field. Thiscomputational framework is applied to study optimal boundary control of blade–vortex interaction, which is a significant noise source for helicopters on approach to landing. In the prototype problem presented here, the noise propagated toward the ground is reduced by 12 dB, demonstrating the potential of an optimization-based approach to blade–vortexinteraction noise control.
Identification of a deep marine source of particulate organic carbon using bomb 14C

THE influx of bomb radiocarbon (14C) into the oceanic food chain has been evaluated by radiocarbon dating of pelagic organisms in the North Pacific1,2. These studies found a significant gradient with depth of Δ14C (the per mil deviation from the Standard' activity of nineteenth century wood). Such a gradient is not expected according to long-standing assumptions about carbon cycling in the water column3–5; instead, one could expect the Δ14C of organisms throughout the water column to have become equal to that in surface-water dissolved inorganic carbon (DIG) by about 1970 (10–20 years after the production of bomb radiocarbon). Here we present Δ14C values measured in the profiles of suspended and sinking particulate organic carbon (POC) from an open-ocean site and a coastal basin. The 14C activity of suspended POC decreases significantly with depth, as is observed in organisms, whereas that of sinking POC is only slightly lower than that in surface DIC and surface suspended POC. All POC Δ14C results, however, are greater than the corresponding pre-bomb, surface-derived DIC values, and therefore contain bomb 14C. This decrease in 14C activity requires a deep source (or sources) of carbon to sub-surface POC pools. Adsorptive processes involving low-14C-activity dissolved organic carbon (DOC) may provide a mechanism for lowering Δ14C values in suspended and (to a lesser extent) sinking POC.
Retinoblastoma (Rb) regulates laminar dendritic arbor reorganization in retinal horizontal neurons

Neuronal differentiation with respect to the acquisition of synaptic competence needs to be regulated precisely during neurogenesis to ensure proper formation of circuits at the right place and time in development. This regulation is particularly important for synaptic triads among photoreceptors, horizontal cells (HCs), and bipolar cells in the retina, because HCs are among the first cell types produced during development, and bipolar cells are among the last. HCs undergo a dramatic transition from vertically oriented neurites that form columnar arbors to overlapping laminar dendritic arbors with differentiation. However, how this process is regulated and coordinated with differentiation of photoreceptors and bipolar cells remains unknown. Previous studies have suggested that the retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor gene may play a role in horizontal cell differentiation and synaptogenesis. By combining genetic mosaic analysis of individual synaptic triads with neuroanatomic analyses and multiphoton live imaging of developing HCs, we found that Rb plays a cell-autonomous role in the reorganization of horizontal cell neurites as they differentiate. Aberrant vertical processes in Rb-deficient HCs form ectopic synapses with rods in the outer nuclear layer but lack bipolar dendrites. Although previous reports indicate that photoreceptor abnormalities can trigger formation of ectopic synapses, our studies now demonstrate that defects in a postsynaptic partner contribute to the formation of ectopic photoreceptor synapses in the mammalian retina.
Effect ofHerpes simplex virus infection on the trigeminal jaw-opening reflex in guinea pigs

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection induces numerous electrophysiological and microscopic changes in neurons in vitro. To investigate the effect of HSV infection on in vivo neuronal activity, we induced an acute, latent and reactivated HSV infection of the trigeminal ganglia of guinea pigs through orofacial HSV inoculation and studied its effect on the trigeminal jaw-opening reflex of anesthetized guinea pigs. During the acute viral infection period both the threshold for elicitation of the reflex, and the latency to the onset of the reflex response were increased. During the latent viral infection in the trigeminal ganglia, the jaw-opening reflexes in the viral infected animals were not different from those of non-infected control animals. However, reactivation of the latent viral infection in these animals resulated in increases in both the threshold and latency of the jaw-opening reflex. These changes were similar to those found in animals with the acute viral infection. These results indicate that acute or reactivated latent HSV infection of the nervous system results in functional changes in the reflex pathways involving the trigeminal gasserian ganglia and beurons harboring infectious HSV-1.
Constituent Quarks as Collective Excitations of {QCD}

Abstract I show how the constituent quark of the nonrelativistic quark model may be considered as a collective excitation of the q q pairs in the QCD vacuum. The spin, color and baryon number of the constituent quark are topologically induced and not localized at a point.
Environmental Concerns and Virtual Politics: Knowledge and activism on the web

Elena Mancusi-Materi looks at the opportunities and illusions of environmental campaigning on the web by analysing some of the material that is shaping environmental politics in cyberspace.
Spurious modes suppression in Stacked Crystal Filter

Stacked Crystal Filters (SCFs) are used in Bandpass filters and other applications where frequency control is required. SCFs use the Solidly Mounted Resonator (SMR) structure to enable operations at RF frequencies, typically 1–5 GHz. In the response spectrum of the SCFs, besides the main resonance mode, there are some unwanted additional modes present which affect the filter's performance away from the primary passband frequency. A single passband is typically a required specification of a band pass filter; therefore the other unwanted modes are to be suppressed as a transmission band can manifest at each unwanted mode. It will turn out that with proper choice of layer materials and thicknesses the unwanted modes can be suppressed, but the level of suppression will be sensitive to the exact layer thicknesses fabricated. A research work is needed to focus on evaluating the materials used in the SCF's resonating mirror and seek a novel mirror methodology for the suppression of these unwanted modes even over manufacturing variations. In this paper, we will investigate careful control of the acoustic mirror stack above which the SMR stack is fabricated to create the SCF. By choosing appropriate materials and adjusting their respective thicknesses, the spurious modes can be suppressed without degrading the overall primary mode performance of the SCF. Trade-offs between the acoustic mirror properties relating to the filter's addressable bandwidth, and the desired suppression of lateral modes of one/two stage SCFs will be discussed.
Radiographic changes following excisional tapering and reimplantation of megaureters in childhood: long-term outcome in 46 renal units.

Purpose: Despite the routine use of renal ultrasonography to document progressive improvement in hydronephrosis following ureteral tailoring and reimplantation of megaureters, there have been few reports characterizing the serial radiographic changes to be expected following this procedure. We evaluated the radiographic outcomes following surgical repair of megaureters at single institution, and assessed potential preoperative factors for predicting outcome.Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent surgical correction of clinically significant megaureters at our center between 1996 and 2003. Demographic data, indications for surgery, and preoperative and postoperative radiographic imaging data were recorded.Results: A total of 46 megaureters (39 patients) were tapered and reimplanted. Average patient age at surgery was 4.0 years (range 5 months to 19 years). Indications for surgery included recurrent or breakthrough urinary tract infections, decreased renal...
Sorption of strontium by bacteria, Fe(III) oxide, and bacteria-Fe(III) oxide composites

This study provides the first quantitative comparison of the sorptive capacities of a bacteria--Fe oxide composite to its individual components. These results have enormous significance for understanding the fate and transport of inorganic contaminants in natural aqueous environments where heterogeneous bacteria--oxide composite solids are commonly found. The authors quantify Sr{sup 2+} sorption to the bacteria Shewanella alga, Shewanella putrefaciens, amorphous hydrous ferric oxide (HGO), and S. alga coated with HFO over a range of total Sr{sup 2+} concentrations and pH, under well controlled laboratory conditions. Significant Sr{sup 2+} sorption occurred at significantly lower pH values to the bacteria and S. alga-HFO composite compared to HFO. Geochemical modeling using a generalized Langmuir equation showed that the bacteria sorb significantly greater quantities of Sr{sup 2+} (maximum sorptive capacity: BSr{sub max} = 0.079 and 0.075 mmol{sm{underscore}bullet}g{sup {minus}1} for S. alga and S. putrefaciens, respectively) than the HFO (0.001 mmol{sm{underscore}bullet}g{sup {minus}1}). The observed BSr{sub max} for the S. alga-HFO composite was less than the combined sorptive properties of its components = 0.041 mmol{sm{underscore}bullet}g{sup {minus}1}, likely reflecting HFO masking of bacterial surface binding sites.
Dietary influences on theobromine-induced toxicity in rats.

Abstract Theobromine-induced toxicity was compared at 8, 16, 21, and/or 28 days in rats given either a semisynthetic diet or a pulverized commercial diet in each of which 0.6 or 0.8% theobromine was incorporated. Rats given the pulverized commercial diet containing theobromine consumed more food and therefore, more theobromine over a 28-day period, and gained more weight than did rats given theobromine incorporated into the semisynthetic diet. Serum theobromine concentrations were significantly higher in rats given 0.8% theobromine in the semisynthetic diet than in rats given 0.8% theobromine in the pulverized commercial diet. Spermatogenic cell degeneration and necrosis in the testes of rats fed 0.8% theobromine in the semisynthetic diet for 16 days seemed to be limited to seminiferous tubular cross sections containing stages X to XIV of spermatogenesis, but after 28 days all tubular cross sections showed extensive spermatogenic cell destruction. No significant pathological changes were observed in the testes of rats fed 0.8% theobromine in the pulverized commercial diet for 21 days; spermatogenic cell degeneration and necrosis and multinucleate cell formation were seen after 28 days in seminiferous tubular cross sections containing the early stages of spermatogenesis, but sections containing stages X to XIV were spared or were much less involved. Atrophy of the thymus gland occurred earlier than testicular damage on each respective dietary regimen containing theobromine and was more severe in rats given theobromine in the semisynthetic diet.
Assessment of prokaryotic collagen-like sequences derived from streptococcal Scl1 and Scl2 proteins as a source of recombinant GXY polymers.

Collagen triple helix, composed of the repeating Gly–Xaa–Yaa (GXY) sequence, is a structural element found in all multicellular animals and also in some prokaryotes. Long GXY polymers are highly regarded components used in food, cosmetic, biomedical, and pharmaceutical industries. In this study, we explore a new concept for the production of recombinant GXY polymers which are based on the sequence of “prokaryotic collagens”, the streptococcal collagen-like proteins Scl1 and Scl2. Analysis of 50 Scl variants identified the amino acid distribution and GXY-repeat usage that are involved in the stabilization of the triple helix in Scls. Using circular dichroism spectroscopy and electron microscopy, we show that significantly different recombinant rScl polypeptides form stable, unhydroxylated homotrimeric triple helices that can be produced both intra- and extracellularly in the Escherichia coli. These rScl constructs containing 20 to 129 GXY repeats had mid-point melting temperatures between 32 and 39°C. Altogether, Scl-derived collagens, which are different from the mammalian collagens, can form stable triple helices under physiological conditions and can be used for the production of recombinant GXY polymers with a wide variety of potential applications.
Domestic violence as a women's health issue.

In this article Robert E. McAfee of the American Medical Association (AMA) discusses domestic violence as a womens health issue. He notes that over the past 20 years violence has become a more urgent and visible public health problem in the US. It is considered a national epidemic and a major public health problem that has a strong gender base. Domestic violence is also identified by health care professions with the same concern for diagnosis referral treatment and prevention as they would any public health problem. In response the AMA has been working to elevate the issue of family violence to one of a public health concern; and to arm all physicians with the information they need to begin to understand how they can help. The Association is also striving to get a more rational gun ownership law in the US as part of its effort to minimize and eliminate the problems of violence in the home and in the workplace.
Variation in post-surgical lumpectomy cavity volume with delay in initiation of breast irradiation because of chemotherapy.

Purpose: The addition of a radiotherapy boost has been shown to improve local control in breast conservation therapy. Three dimensional planning provides more accurate targeting of the operative bed than clinical setup using the lumpectomy scar. However, contraction of the lumpectomy cavity over time may have implications for the volume of tissue included in the boost field. Methods and Materials: The clinical variables and treatment planning volumes for patients receiving whole-breast radiotherapy at a single institution between July 1, 2006, and December 31, 2007 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Of the 93 patients identified, 29 received chemotherapy (CTX) and 64 did not; CTX was sequenced before radiotherapy in all patients. Patients receiving CTX were more likely to have higher T and N stage and a longer interval between definitive breast surgery and radiation. The lumpectomy specimens of women receiving CTX trended toward being larger than those of women not receiving CTX (113.4cm{sup 3} vs. 74.6cm{sup 3}, p = 0.08). Despite this, the volume of the lumpectomy cavity measured on computed tomography was smaller in patients receiving CTX (9.1cm{sup 3} vs. 16.8cm{sup 3}, p = 0.02), as was the volume of the planning target volume (56.6cm{sup 3} vs. 79.9cm{sup 3}, p =more » 0.02). Conclusions: Patients receiving CTX were at higher risk for local recurrence. However, as a result of lumpectomy bed contraction, these patients received a boost to a smaller volume than patients not receiving CTX. This finding is counterintuitive and supports re-evaluation of the optimal size of the boost field. In addition, these results may have implications for patients treated with partial breast irradiation.« less
Risks and benefits of Splenectomy in myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia : A retrospective analysis of 26 cases

Background and Objectives: To evaluate the outcomes of splenectomy in myelofibrosis and myeloid metaplasia (MMM). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our records of 26 patients with MMM who underwent an open splenectomy at Boston University Medical Center between 1979 and 1995. Fourteen patients had agnogenic myeloid metaplasia (AMM) and 12 had myelofibrosis with antecedent myeloproliferative disorders (MF). The main indications for splenectomy were progressive transfusion-dependent anemia, painful splenomegaly, and hypercatabolic symptoms associated with cytopenia. Results: Median time to splenectomy after the diagnosis of MMM was 29 months ranging from 1 to 96 months. Three patients (11%) died within 1 month after the surgery because of sepsis. The most common peri- and postoperative complications were pneumonia and other bacterial infections (42%), cardiac events (19%), acute bleeding (15%), ileus (15%), and venous thrombosis (12%). Of the eight surviving patients who underwent splenectomy for transfusion dependent anemia, six (75%) had improvement in their hematocrit levels with abolishment of blood transfusions. A durable symptomatic palliation was achieved in all patients. Liver enlargement was noted in seven patients at 1-year evaluation. None of these patients developed hepatic failure. Leukemic transformation occurred in 8 of 18 patients (44%) postsplenectomy. The median overall survival for the entire group was 58.5 and 28 months from the diagnosis of MMM and the time of splenectomy, respectively. There was no difference in survival rates between patients with AMM and MF. Conclusions: Splenectomy is an effective palliative procedure with an acceptable morbidity in selected patients with MMM. Progressive transfusion-dependent anemia should also be considered an indication for splenectomy in the absence of leukemic evolution. J. Surg. Oncol. 2001; 77:42–48. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Pathologic Nodal Status Predicts Disease-Free Survival After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation for Gastroesophageal Junction Carcinoma

The incidence of carcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) is rapidly increasing, and the prognosis remains poor. We examined outcomes in patients who received neoadjuvant chemoradiation for GEJ tumors to identify factors that predict disease-free (DFS) and overall (OS) survival. A retrospective analysis was performed of 101 consecutive patients who received chemoradiation and surgery for GEJ carcinoma between 1992 and 2001. The median DFS and OS of all patients were 16 and 25 months, respectively. Twenty-eight patients with a complete histological response (T0N0) experienced greater DFS compared with all others (P = .02). Node-negative patients, regardless of T stage, experienced improved median DFS (24 months) compared with N1 patients (9 months; P = .01). Preoperative stage, age, tumor location, or Barrett’s esophagus did not independently predict OS by univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that only posttreatment nodal status (P = .03)—not the degree of primary tumor response—predicted DFS. The nodal status of patients with GEJ tumors after neoadjuvant therapy is predictive of DFS after resection. The poor outcome in node-positive patients supports postneoadjuvant therapy nodal staging, because surgical aggressiveness should be tempered by the realization that cure is unlikely and median survival is short.
A Phenomenology of Alienation in High School: The Experiences of Five Male Non-completers

This phenomenological study examined the experiences of males aged 16–19 who self-identified as being alienated from their school system. Five participants engaged in three semi-structured interviews and one perception check. Descriptions revealed common themes throughout the structure of the experience. These themes were: (1) need to build relationships despite negative consequences, (2) loss of trust in school adults, and (3) fear of failure and of disappointing self and family. The invariant structure (essence) that emerged was the interrelationship among these themes as related to belonging, trust, and self-worth.
Splenic Marginal Zone Lymphomas Appear to Originate from Different B Cell Types

Splenic marginal zone lymphomas (SMZLs) have been proposed to originate from postgerminal center memory B cells that usually have mutated immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable (VH) genes. However, the majority of SMZLs are thought to express both IgD and IgM, which is more typical of naive B cells that have unmutated VH genes. To better define the SMZL cell of origin and pathogenesis, we studied the histological and immunophenotypic features of eight cases and also sequenced their rearranged VH genes. Half of the cases had unmutated VH genes consistent with a naive B-cell origin and half had mutated VH genes consistent with a memory B-cell origin. Most of the unmutated cases (three of four) were positive for IgD, which further supports a naive B-cell origin, whereas the others were negative. In addition, VH gene segment use seems to be nonrandom because seven of eight cases used genes from the VH1 or VH4 families and repetitive use of the V1-2, V1-69, and V4-34 gene segments was observed. Our results suggest there are two types of SMZLs, one that originates from naive marginal zone B cells in addition to one that originates from memory marginal zone B cells, and that antigen selection may be occurring during lymphomagenesis.
An endogenous hypertensive factor enhances the voltage-dependent calcium current

The effects of an immunoaffinity-purified putative endogenous hypertensive factor (HF) on voltage-dependent calcium current in frog cardiac myocytes were assessed. In 9 out of 10 cells, HF reversibly increased the peak amplitude of the calcium current. HF increased peak calcium current density at −5 mV from a control level of 1.8 ± 1.3 pA/pF (mean ± SD) to 4.4 ± 2.0 pA/pF. HF shifted the peak of the calcium current-voltage relationship in the hyperpolarizing direction. HF shifted the voltage dependence of the inactivation of the calcium current to more negative potentials with prepulses from −80 to 0 mV, but the inactivation was not affected with prepulses more positive than 0 mV. Modulation of the voltage-dependent calcium current by HF may be the mechanism underlying its pressor effects.
Concentration Dependent Instability of ß-sheet aggregates of Ac-(AAKA)4NH2 in solution

The amphiphatic polyalanine peptide, Ac-(AAKA)4-NH2, has recently been shown to aggregate into a hydrogel at high chloride concentration or alkaline pH. It forms soluble s-sheet type aggregates at neutral pH and centimolar concentrations. In order to further characterize the transition from the monomeric to the aggregated state, we measured the far UV-ECD spectrum at different concentrations between 35 - 700 μM. At very low concentration (i.e. 0.05 mg/mL or 35 μM) the observed spectrum is indicative of a stable mixture of right handed α-helical and s-strand (sheet) conformations. At higher concentrations (> 1 mM) we observed a spectrum reflecting a very stable s-sheet aggregate. However, at concentrations between 70 - 700 μM the peptide shows a very strange, and totally unexpected, behavior. Upon dissolving it in solution, a statistical coil-like mixture comprising polyproline II (PPII), α-helical and s-sheet-like conformations is formed. Subsequently, most of the s-sheet fraction decays into a conformation which exhibits a PPII-type ECD spectrum on a time scale of 104-105 s. The kinetics of the process follows a power law at low concentrations and becomes mono-exponential at higher concentration. Generally, the relaxation slows down with increasing peptide concentration until the s-sheet becomes stable on the time scale of our experiments (<105 s). We hypothesize that aggregation involves multiple steps with the formation of a rather unstable s-sheet as the first step. The second step involves the formation of stable fibers. This step competes with the formation of collagen like coil-coil state, rather, which is known to exhibit a PPII-like ECD spectrum.
Dislocation pattern formation in metals

La distribution homogene des dislocations dans les metaux ne reste pas stable a cause de l'agglomeration des dipoles de dislocations. Explication de la formation des amas de dislocations par le transfert de dipoles aux endroits ou la concentration de contraintes est importante. Description du developpement de la structure des dislocations observee pendant la deformation des cristaux par un glissement simple de la charge soit en traction ou en contraction soit alternee
The effect of Streptococcus pneumoniae infection on the binding of thyroxine to purified rat liver plasma membranes.

Hepatic plasma membranes were isolated from control and Streptococcus pneumoniae-infected rats in order to determine the effect of S. pneumoniae infection on the binding capacity and affinity of hepatic plasma membranes for T4. Infection did not affect the purity or the yield of isolated membranes. A significant decrease in both total and free serum T4 was observed during infection. Scatchard analysis of membrane binding, determined under optimal conditions, confirmed the presence of high affinity, low capacity sites, as well as low affinity sites for T4 on membranes isolated from both control and infected rats. T4 maximum binding capacity (MBC) of the high affinity sites decreased significantly as the infection became more severe. However, the affinity of these receptors did not change. Neither MBC nor affinity of the low affinity sites was altered by infection. The observed decrease in the MBC of the high affinity binding sites for T4 on hepatic plasma membranes cannot account for the decrease in serum ...
Predictive Erosion Modeling in an ESP Pump

Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESPs) are widely used in upstream oil production. The presence of a low concentration solid phase, particle-laden flow, in the production fluid may cause severe damage in the internal sections of the pump which reduces its operating lifetime. To better understand the ESP pump’s endurance, an ESP-WJE1000, manufactured by Baker Hughes Company was studied numerically to determine the pump’s flow behavior at its best efficiency point. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis was conducted on two stages of the pump’s primary flow path employing Eulerian-Granular scheme in ANSYS-Fluent. The key parameters affecting the erosion phenomena within the pump such as turbulence kinetic energy, local sand concentration and near wall relative sand velocity were identified. The predictive erosion model applicable to pumps was developed by correlating the erosion key parameters with available experimental results.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Exercise-induced secretion of atrial natriuretic factor and its relation to hemodynamic and sympathetic stimulation in untreated essential hypertension☆

Abstract This study evaluates the release of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) during maximal exercise in 7 patients with untreated moderate to severe hypertension with invasive monitoring of hemodynamic characteristics in relation to sympathetic activity. Peripheral venous ANF (fmol/ml) was determined at rest and maximal exercise producing a respiratory exchange ratio of 1.14 ± 0.10. In 5 of 7 patients, simultaneous right ventricular and peripheral venous ANF samples could be obtained to assess exercise myocardial secretion of ANF. With exercise, mean blood pressure increased from 150 ± 26 to 192 ± 29 mm Hg (p
Strategic Management or Environmental Change Which Determines Success in Health Care Organizations

It is often difficult in complex organizational systems for managers to attribute accurately changes in organizational performance to changes in management strategy. In this case study of the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Health Care System, managers attributed improvement in patient enrollment to strategic action taken earlier to improve patient satisfaction. Empirical data demonstrate that changes in patient enrollment were actually due to changes in the market for medical care external to Kaiser and out of the control of Kaiser managers. Subsequent problems in the Kaiser system may have been worsened by this earlier misattribution. It is important for health care managers to appreciate the difficulty in linking strategic action to changes in organizational performance.
Gender Differences in Expressed Interests in Engineering-Related Fields ACT 30-Year Data Analysis Identified Trends and Suggested Avenues to Reverse Trends

Historically, women have been underrepresented in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields both as college majors and in the professional community. This disturbing trend, obser...
Manganese amido-imine bisphenol Hangman complexes

A modular ligand macrocycle is composed from two phenolic groups linked to a cyclohexane bridge through an amide bond and an imine bond. The stability of the asymmetric linkers to metathesis permits a macrocyclic platform to be assembled from the condensation of two different phenolic groups in a single-step, high yield, reaction. The primary coordination sphere may be tuned with functional groups on one phenolic group. The other phenolic group may be modified with a scaffold possessing a proton transfer group. In this way, control over the secondary coordination sphere of the macrocycle is achieved. Manganese complexes of the amido-imine linked macrocycle catalytically epoxidizes 1,2-dihydronapthalene using sodium hypochlorite as the oxidant. The amido-imine macrocycles represent a new metal active site capable of supporting high oxidation states and attendant atom transfer chemistry while at the same time permitting control over the primary and secondary sphere of the metal center.
Prospects for a New Account of Time Reversal

In this paper I draw the distinction between intuitive and theory-relative accounts of the time reversal symmetry and identify problems with each. I then propose an alternative to these two types of accounts that steers a middle course between them and minimizes each account’s problems. This new account of time reversal requires that, when dealing with sets of physical theories that satisfy certain constraints, we determine all of the discrete symmetries of the physical laws we are interested in and look for involutions that leave spatial coordinates unaffected and that act consistently across our physical laws. This new account of time reversal has the interesting feature that it makes the nature of the time reversal symmetry an empirical feature of the world without requiring us to assume that any particular physical theory is time reversal invariant from the start. Finally, I provide an analysis of several toy cases that reveals differences between my new account of time reversal and its competitors.
Maximum likelihood estimation of signals in autoregressive noise

Time series modeling as the sum of a deterministic signal and an autoregressive (AR) process is studied. Maximum likelihood estimation of the signal amplitudes and AR parameters is seen to result in a nonlinear estimation problem. However, it is shown that for a given class of signals, the use of a parameter transformation can reduce the problem to a linear least squares one. For unknown signal parameters, in addition to the signal amplitudes, the maximization can be reduced to one over the additional signal parameters. The general class of signals for which such parameter transformations are applicable, thereby reducing estimator complexity drastically, is derived. This class includes sinusoids as well as polynomials and polynomial-times-exponential signals. The ideas are based on the theory of invariant subspaces for linear operators. The results form a powerful modeling tool in signal plus noise problems and therefore find application in a large variety of statistical signal processing problems. The authors briefly discuss some applications such as spectral analysis, broadband/transient detection using line array data, and fundamental frequency estimation for periodic signals. >
Determination of Cyclobenzaprine in Tablets by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

A convenient high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the quantitative determination of cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride in tablets is described. Samples were dissolved in 0.05 N sulfuric acid and diluted with methanol. The cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride was chromatographed using an octylsilane column and the eluent acetonitrile-0.6% dibasic potassium phosphate aqueous buffer (pH 3.0) (75:25) at a flow rate of 1.5 ml/min. Naphazoline hydrochloride was used as an internal standard. The UV detector response at 254 nm was linear for cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride in the 0.005-0.03 mg/ml range under conditions of the analysis.
Contemporary perspectives in finite strain plasticity

Abstract From an internally consistent theory of finite strain plasticity in which are introduced a new stress tensor that includes rigid body rotation and a compatible finite strain tensor amenable to simple geometrical interpretation, a close correlation with experiment is obtained for stress paths of arbitrary composition and direction. Measured material constants are proportional to the elastic shear modulus, as indicated for dislocation theory. At large strain there exists a quantum mechanical structure for the continuum, in which are defined a series of relative reference configurations and second order transitions.
Population Immunity to Measles in the United States, 1999

To estimate population immunity, we examined measles immunity among residents of the United States in 1999 from serological and vaccine coverage surveys. For persons aged >or=20 years, serological data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994) were used. For persons or=12 years of age and 99% vaccine efficacy was used for those with failure of a first dose who were revaccinated. Overall, calculated population immunity was found to be 93%. Although there was not much variation in immunity by region and state, in some large urban centers immunity among preschool-aged children was as low as 86%. Overall, geographic- and age-specific estimates of a high population immunity support the epidemiological evidence that measles disease is no longer endemic in the United States.
A TAXONOMY FOR ENGLISH NOUNS AND VERBS

The definition texts of a machine-readable pocket dictionary were analyzed to determine the disambiguated word sense of the kernel terms of each word sense being defined. The resultant sets of word pairs of defined and defining words were then computationally connected into two taxonomic semilattices ("tangled hierarchies") representing some 24,000 noun nodes and 11,000 verb nodes. The study of the nature of the "topmost" nodes in these hierarchies, and the structure of the trees reveal information about the nature of the dictionary's organization of the language, the concept of semantic primitives and other aspects of lexical semantics. The data proves that the dictionary offers a fundamentally consistent description of word meaning and may provide the basis for future research and applications in computational linguistic systems.
Detecting the effects of Fabry disease in the adult human brain with diffusion tensor imaging and fast bound-pool fraction imaging.

Background To identify quantitative MRI parameters associated with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and fast bound-pool fraction imaging (FBFI) that may detect alterations in gray matter and/or white matter in adults with Fabry disease, a lysosomal storage disorder. Materials and Methods Twelve healthy controls (mean age ± standard deviation: 48.0 ± 12.4 years) and 10 participants with Fabry disease (46.7 ± 12.9 years) were imaged at 3.0 Tesla. Whole-brain parametric maps of diffusion tensor metrics (apparent diffusion coefficient [ADC] and fractional anisotropy [FA]) and the bound-pool fraction (f) were acquired. Mean voxel values of parametric maps from regions-of-interest within gray and white matter structures were compared between cases and controls using the independent t-test. Spearman's rho was used to identify associations between parametric maps and age. Results Compared with controls, the left thalamus of Fabry participants had an increase in FA (0.29 ± 0.02 versus 0.33 ± 0.05, respectively; P = 0.030) and a trend toward an increase in ADC (0.73 ± 00.02 versus 0.76 ± 0.03 μm2/s, respectively; P = 0.082). The left posterior white matter demonstrated a reduction in f (10.45 ± 0.37 versus 9.00 ± 1.84%, respectively; P = 0.035), an increase in ADC (0.78 ± 0.04 versus 0.94 ± 0.19 μm2/s, respectively; P = 0.024), and a trend toward a reduction in FA (0.42 ± 0.07 versus 0.36 ± 0.08, respectively; P = 0.052). Among all parameters, only f measured in the left posterior white matter was significantly associated with age in Fabry participants (rho = –0.71; P = 0.022). Conclusion Parameters derived from DTI and FBFI detect Fabry-related changes in the adult human brain, particularly in the posterior white matter where reductions in myelin density as measured by FBFI appear age related. J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2015;42:1611–1622.
Synaptic Signaling in Learning and Memory

Learning and memory require the formation of new neural networks in the brain. A key mechanism underlying this process is synaptic plasticity at excitatory synapses, which connect neurons into networks. Excitatory synaptic transmission happens when glutamate, the excitatory neurotransmitter, activates receptors on the postsynaptic neuron. Synaptic plasticity is a higher-level process in which the strength of excitatory synapses is altered in response to the pattern of activity at the synapse. It is initiated in the postsynaptic compartment, where the precise pattern of influx of calcium through activated glutamate receptors leads either to the addition of new receptors and enlargement of the synapse (long-term potentiation) or the removal of receptors and shrinkage of the synapse (long-term depression). Calcium/calmodulin-regulated enzymes and small GTPases collaborate to control this highly tuned mechanism.
Eyeblink conditioning deficits indicate timing and cerebellar abnormalities in schizophrenia

Accumulating evidence indicates that individuals with schizophrenia manifest abnormalities in structures (cerebellum and basal ganglia) and neurotransmitter systems (dopamine) linked to internal-timing processes. A single-cue tone delay eyeblink conditioning paradigm comprised of 100 learning and 50 extinction trials was used to examine cerebellar timing circuits in 13 medicated patients with schizophrenia and 13 age- and sex-matched controls. Patients with schizophrenia showed impaired learning of the conditioned response compared to controls and also greater within-subject variability in the timing of their responses. These findings are consistent with models of schizophrenia in which timing deficits underlie information-processing abnormalities and clinical features of the disorder.
Supramolecular reagents: versatile tools for non-covalent synthesis

The design and modular synthesis of three ternary co-crystals with desired connectivity, assembled using tailor-made pyridyl/benzimidazol-1-yl-based supramolecular reagents, are described.
The Role of Low-Level Convergence and Latent Heating in a Simulation of Observed Squall Line Formation

Abstract The effects of mesoscale forcing and diabatic heating on the development of convective systems have been investigated using a simplified numerical model to simulate the squall line and the convective system preceding it that occurred over Texas and Oklahoma on 10– 11 April 1979. A simulation run without including latent but showed both systems to be initiated and maintained by convergence produced by larger-scale forcing. The first cloud system formed downwind of the convergence zone that was produced by the confluence of airstreams along a dryline. A cloud front approaching from the west then merged with this dryline, destroying its horizontal gradients through diffusive effects and replacing it with a frontal convergence line that was alinged with the low-level flow. This new configuration was then favorable for the formation of the squall line that developed in the simulation. When latent heat was included the continuous cloud in the first convective system broke down into isolated cells which...
Effects of Fire and Neighboring Trees on Ashe Juniper

Abstract The survival of Ashe juniper ( Juniperus ashei Buchh.) plants of all sizes was compared between paired burned and unburned plots in four savanna sites on the eastern Edwards Plateau. Smaller plants were less likely to survive a fire than larger plants, over the entire range of plant sizes. Overall fire survival rates varied from ∼45% (0- to 50-cm-tall plants) to ∼92% (s 2-m-tall plants). The high rate of survival of small plants indicates that fires like those typically used in this region are not likely to control even the early stages of the encroachment of Ashe juniper. If fire is to be used to maintain savannas in this region, multiple burns, more intense fires, or supplementary mechanical removal will probably be needed. Junipers 0 to 200 cm tall were significantly more likely to be growing under the canopy of a tree (defined as a plant s 2 m tall of any species) than in the open. Small (0 to 50 cm tall) junipers under a tree canopy were significantly more likely to be alive than plants in the same size class growing in the open, suggesting facilitation of small Ashe juniper by neighboring trees. There was, however, no significant effect of neighboring trees on the rate at which small Ashe juniper survived fire, contrary to our initial expectation.
REGIONAL PRECIPITATION VARIABILITY IN THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES

Seasonal precipitation varies both spatially and temporally across the southern United States. In order to address the causes of the temporal variability, this paper first develops a regionalization of southern precipitation. In all four seasons, five distinct precipitation regions are evident. These five regions differ in size and extent in each season and can be related to the precipitation-generating mechanisms operating at that time of year. Precipitation within each region varies considerably over time. In autumn, seasonal precipitation also displays a significant trend in three regions. The East Coast has experienced a decrease in precipitation, whereas western areas of the study region have become wetter. In order to understand the influence of large-scale circulation on the temporal variability and autumn trends, regional precipitation anomalies are correlated with major atmospheric teleconnection features over North America. Although the traditional mid-latitude teleconnections explain significan...
A NEW SPECIES OF ANARTIOCYSTIS(CALLOCYSTITIDA, GLYPTOCYSTITIDA) FROM THE BRASSFIELD FORMATION OF CENTRAL KENTUCKY

The Echinoderm fauna of the Brassfield Formation (Lower Silurian, Early to Middle Llandoverian) contains more than 30 species and is locally common in southern Ohio making it one of the most important Early Silurian faunas known (Foerste, 1919, 1936; Ausich, 1984a, 1984b, 1985, 1986a, 1986b, 1986c, 1987; Ausich and Schumacher, 1984; Ausich and Dravage, 1988). At present, the Brassfield Formation has produced two callocystitid rhombiferans including Brockocystis nodosarius Foerste (1919) and Anartiocystis foerstei Ausich and Schumacker (1984). Neither of these taxa is well-known, being described from a handful of moderately well to poorly preserved specimens each. The discovery of Anartiocystis whitei n. sp., the third callocystitid species known from the Brassfield Formation and second known species of the genus, greatly clarifies the morphology of the genus adding significant information on the plating of the ambulacra and stem.
Permian Tethyan Fusulinina from the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

Two samples from a large, allochthonous limestone block in the McHugh Complex of the Chugach terrane on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, contain species of 12 genera of Permian Fusulinina including Abadehella, Kahlerina, Pseudokahlerina?, Nankinella, Codonofusiella, Dunbarula, Parafusulina?, Chusenella, Verbeekina, Pseudodoliolina, Metadoliolina?, Sumatrina?, and Yabeina, as well as several other foraminiferans and one alga. The assemblage of fusulinids is characteristically Tethyan, belonging to the Yabeina archaica zone of early Midian (late Wordian) age. Similar faunas are known from the Pamirs, Transcaucasia, and Japan, as well as from allochthonous terranes in British Columbia, northwestern Washington, and Koryakia in eastern Siberia.
Two-Bond 15N−19F Spin−Spin Coupling Constants (2hJN-F) across N−H+...F Hydrogen Bonds

Two-bond 1 5 N- 1 9 F NMR spin-spin coupling constants ( 2 h J N - F ) have been computed using equation-of-motion coupled cluster singles and doubles theory (EOM-CCSD) for a variety of cationic complexes stabilized by traditional N-H + ...F hydrogen bonds. The proton donors include protonated sp bases derived from HCN, protonated sp 2 aromatic rings and imines, and protonated sp 3 bases derived from NH 3 , with FH as the proton acceptor. 2 h J N - F is determined solely by the Fermi-contact term, which is distance dependent. The absolute values of N-F coupling constants for cationic complexes are significantly greater than the F-N coupling constants for neutral complexes stabilized by traditional F-H...N hydrogen bonds over a range of N-F distances. This may be attributed to the greater proton-shared character of hydrogen bonds in cationic complexes. Moreover, at a given distance, values of 2 h J N - F for complexes with sp and sp 2 nitrogens as proton donors are considerably greater than 2 h J N - F values for complexes with sp 3 nitrogens as donors. When the cationic complexes are grouped according to the hybridization of the nitrogen, good correlations are found between 2 h J N - F and the N-F distance. Small perturbations of the N-H + ...F hydrogen bond from linearity are associated with only small decreases in 2 h J N - F .
Properties of Pzt Thin Films with 2CdO·B2O3 Glass Phase Additive

Lead zirconate titanate thin films containing 0-4 wt.% of 2CdO·B 2 O 3 glass phase additive have been fabricated by sol-gel processing. Smooth dense perovskite films of approximately 3500A thickness were formed on Si wafers by a multiple layer spin coating process followed by rapid thermal annealing. Remanent polarizations of up to 23μC/cm 2 were measured. Hysteresis properties were found to be very sensitive to annealing time at 700°C, with remanence being maximized at 100-200 seconds.