cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Donor bone marrow-derived chimeric cells present in renal transplant recipients infused with donor marrow. I. Potent regulators of recipient antidonor immune responses.

BACKGROUND Even though a number of transplant centers have adopted donor-specific bone marrow cell (DBMC) infusions to enhance donor cell chimerism, to date there has been no direct evidence linking chimerism with tolerance induction in human organ transplant recipients. METHODS Cells of donor phenotype were isolated 1 year postoperatively from the peripheral blood lymphocytes and iliac crest bone marrow of 11 living-related-donor (LRD) renal transplant recipients, who had received perioperative donor bone marrow cell infusions. These recipient-derived donor (RdD) cells were characterized phenotypically by flow cytometric analysis and functionally as modulators in mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and cell-mediated lympholysis (CML) assays. RESULTS The yield of RdD cells ranged from 0.1 to O.9% of the starting material with the majority being TcRalphabeta, CD3 positive T cells, a substantial percentage of which coexpressed CD28. At 1 year posttransplant almost 50% of the LRD-kidney/DBMC recipients tested so far exhibited donor-specific unresponsiveness in MLR (7/17) and CML (6/13) reactions and this trend was further enhanced at 23 years. In the recipients with residual positive antidonor immune responses, the RdD cells inhibited recipient antidonor MLR and CML responses significantly more strongly than freshly isolated and similarly treated iliac crest bone marrow cells from the donor. RdD cells also inhibited the MLR of the recipient to third party allogeneic stimulator cells; however, this nonspecific effect was significantly weaker than specific inhibition. We also established long-term bone marrow cultures stimulated every 2 weeks with irradiated alogeneic feeder cells, that had similar functional properties thus possibly providing us with an in vitro correlate the RdD cells. CONCLUSIONS These results clearly support the notion that the infused donor cells play a positive role in the induction and/or maintenance of transplant tolerance.
Chronic fatigue: Risk factors for symptom persistence in a 2 1/2-year follow-up study

Background The prolonged disability of patients suffering from chronic fatigue may be due to sustaining factors that are independent of the cause and subject to intervention. This study reexamined a cohort of patients with chronic fatigue to define medical and psychiatric predictors of persistent symptoms. Methods Seventy-eight patients with chronic fatigue present for 6 months or more (not required to meet the Centers for Disease Control case definition for chronic fatigue syndrome [CFS]) completed a self-report, follow-up questionnaire to measure the overall improvement or worsening of their condition at a mean of 2.5 years after their initial examination. At the time of initial evaluation, patients underwent a structured psychiatric examination, physical examination, laboratory studies, and self-report measures of psychological distress and functional disability. The psychiatric examination queried the patient about 28 somatic symptoms that are separate from those associated with CFS. Discriminant analysis was used to determine which variables present at the initial examination were significant predictors of persistent symptoms and disability at 2.5 years. Results The factors most important at the time of initial presentation in predicting persistent illness were: (1) more than eight medically unexplained physical symptoms separate from those associated with CFS case definition; (2) lifetime history of dysthymia; (3) duration of chronic fatigue symptoms greater than 1.5 years; (4) less than 16 years of formal education; and (5) age older than 38 years. None of the results of the initial physical examination, or immunologic, general laboratory, or viral antibody measurements were significant in predicting persistence of symptoms. Recovery rates for those who met the criteria for CFS by either of two case definitions were lower than the rate of noncases, but the differences were not statistically significant. The five aforementioned variables formed a significant discriminative function, correctly classifying 78% of those who recovered and 74% of those with persistent symptoms. Conclusions At initial examination, patients with chronic fatigue, more than eight medically unexplained physical symptoms (excluding symptoms in the case criteria for CFS), a lifetime history of dysthymic disorder, longer than 1.5 years of chronic fatigue, less than 16 years of formal education, and who were older than 38 years were the most likely to have persistence of symptoms of chronic fatigue at the 2.5-year follow-up.
Film thickness effects in the Ti–Si1−xGex solid phase reaction

The effects of film thickness on the Ti–Si1−xGex solid phase reaction were investigated. Thin C49 TiM2 (M=Si1−yGey) films were formed from the solid phase reaction of 400 A Ti or 100 A Ti with Si1−xGex alloys. It was determined that for films formed from 400 A Ti, the nucleation barrier of the C49‐to‐C54 transformation decreases with increasing germanium content, for alloy compositions with up to ≊40 at. % germanium (i.e., x≤0.40). It was also observed that germanium segregates out of the TiM2 lattice, for both the C49 and C54 phases, and is replaced on the TiM2 lattice with Si from the substrate. The germanium segregation changes the Ge index y of the Ti(Si1−yGey)2. For films formed from a 100 A Ti layer it was observed that the C54 TiSi2 nucleation temperature was increased by ≥125 °C. The addition of germanium to the silicon increased the agglomeration of the C49 phase and caused the C54 TiM2 nucleation barrier to increase further. The results also indicate that the increased temperature required for t...
Near‐Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy for Rapid Analysis of Curds during Cheddar Cheese Making

Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) equations were developed for rapid analysis of curds during Cheddar cheese making. The coefficients of determination (R 2 ) for NIRS and chemical analysis were: moisture (0.982), protein (0.965), fat (0.951), and lactose (0.909). When validation samples were compared by NIRS and chemical analysis, the R 2 s were moisture (0.984), protein (0.964), fat (0.957), and lactose (0.982). These results suggest that NIRS is applicable for rapidly monitoring chemical changes in curds.
Forced chemical mixing in immiscible alloys during severe plastic deformation at elevated temperatures

Abstract The forced chemical mixing of atoms in model immiscible alloys during severe plastic deformation (SPD) has been investigated as a function of temperature and the heat of mixing using molecular dynamics computer simulations. At low temperatures, A75B25 alloys form solid solutions during SPD for heats of mixing less than ∼20 kJ mol−1, but tend to phase separate at larger values. At high temperatures these alloys show more extensive precipitation, with the precipitate morphology dependent on the heat of mixing. Analysis of the high-temperature mixing kinetics reveals that the precipitation process involves two separate mechanisms. The first derives from long-range diffusion mediated by shear-induced vacancies, while the second is due to local rearrangements of atoms induced by the forced mixing of atoms.
Vitamin D and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Summary What is known and Objective The deleterious effect of vitamin D deficiency on bone health has long been known. More recent studies suggest a deleterious effect of low vitamin D (hypovitaminosis D) on general health. And specific studies propose an association between hypovitaminosis D and the aetiology and progression of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Given a commonly assumed lack of toxicity of vitamin D, routine measurement of plasma vitamin D and supplementation is rapidly becoming accepted general practice. Comment Authoritative practice guidelines have raised the level of vitamin D that is to be considered minimal for optimum health. This recommendation was based on a wealth of information and definitive evidence for skeletal benefits of vitamin D, but there was a lack of compelling evidence that hypovitaminosis D is causally related to extra-skeletal health outcomes such as diabetes. Hence, vitamin D supplementation for the purpose of achieving a level consistent with good health is evidence based, but measurement and supplementation for the purpose of preventing or treating T2DM is not. What is new and Conclusion Although the maintenance of adequate vitamin D levels is desirable for all patients, we conclude that routine measurement of vitamin D level in every patient or initiating high-dose supplementation for the purpose of preventing or treating T2DM is not evidence based.
Dynamic Changes in the Myometrium during the Third Stage of Labor, Evaluated Using Two-Dimensional Ultrasound, in Women with Normal and Abnormal Third Stage of Labor and in Women with Obstetric Complications.

Objective: To investigate dynamic changes in myometrial thickness during the third stage of labor. Methods: Myometrial thickness was measured using ultrasound at one-minute time intervals during the third stage of labor in the mid-region of the upper and lower uterine segments in 151 patients including: women with a long third stage of labor (n = 30), postpartum hemorrhage (n = 4), preterm delivery (n = 7) and clinical chorioamnionitis (n = 4). Differences between myometrial thickness of the uterine segments and as a function of time were evaluated. Results: There was a significant linear increase in the mean myometrial thickness of the upper uterine segments, as well as a significant linear decrease in the mean myometrial thickness of the lower uterine segments until the expulsion of the placenta (p Conclusion: A well-coordinated activity between the upper and lower uterine segments is demonstrated in normal placental delivery. In some clinical conditions this pattern is not observed, increasing the time for placental delivery and the risk of postpartum hemorrhage.
Algorithmic improvements for simulator motion drive

Contemporary simulator motion drive algorithms typically are designed in an analog (continuous) environment, but are implemented in a digital (discrete) environment. The intended continuous system, specified as frequency domain (Laplace transform) transfer functions, may not be represented properly by the algorithms used for digital implementation. The motion drive software in use with the Vertical Motion Simulator at Ames Research Center was investigated recently; the original algorithms (Euler) were changed to a state transition method. Comparison of the frequency responses of the original and new implementations showed that the state transition method more closely approximates the desired analog responses. In addition, test pilots who evaluated both implementations preferred the motions generated with the state transition method over those generated with the Euler integration method.
Laryngeal Muscles Are Spared in the Dystrophin Deficient mdx Mouse

Purpose Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by the loss of the cytoskeletal protein, dystrophin. The disease leads to severe and progressive skeletal muscle wasting. Interestingly, the dise...
An ecological approach to urban management

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on an ecological approach to urban management. The quality of life in urban areas in contemporary United States has become an issue of political importance. The chapter describes the way the natural ecology and analytical and predictive tools being developed by ecologists can be incorporated into the planning and management processes of urban governments to improve the way land-use decisions are made. The ecological planning method is premised on an understanding of the principles of a natural ecosystem as they can be applied to an urban area. A natural ecosystem is an organized unit, containing plants and animals and nonliving components in sufficient diversity and interrelationship to be self-sustaining. The proposition underlying the ecological planning method is one of utmost simplicity; it is merely that an understanding of biological and physical systems is indispensable to intelligent land-use decisions. The method of ecological planning can lead to principles of land development and preservation for any region, metropolitan area, municipality, or site.
Successful treatment of a desmoid tumor with doxorubicin

Background. Desmoid tumors are the source of significant morbidity and mortality in patients with Gardner syndrome. Methods. The authors present a case report and review of the literature. Results. A young woman with an extensive abdominal desmoid had a prolonged response to doxorubicin after she did not respond to more conventional treatments. Conclusions. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of the successful treatment of desmoids with doxorubicin used as a single agent. Reports of the efficacy of chemotherapy in these and related tumors are reviewed.
Frictional effects on thermally forced waves

A consistent linear theory is developed for determining the importance of boundary layer friction for thermally forced gravity and Rossby wave modes. Analytic case studies are developed on a mid-latitude β-plane in order to retain separability of the linearized equations in the presence of boundary layer friction in a slab mixed layer. It is found that frictional convergence is important in synoptic-scale Rossby waves (but not gravity waves). If the feedback between the boundary layer and the interior solution is not properly taken into account, however, it is found that the boundary layer convergence will be incorrectly evaluated and may be considerably overestimated. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1977.tb00733.x
Lower Bound of the Number of Threshold Functions

For reduced finite Moore automata corresponding to regular expressions which are finite sums of expressions of the form E+H?*G (E,H,G are finite events and ?is the set of inputs) it is shown that an arbitrary change of the initial state or of the set of final states results in an automaton belonging to the same class. The transition graphs corresponding to the single inputs in definite and reverse-definite automata are investigated.
Independent-Particle Model of the Nucleus. II. Weak Surface Coupling

The role of weak surface coupling is discussed for multiparticle nuclear configurations. Matrix elements are given for the standard from of the coupling of nucleons to nuclear surface vibrations. Energy spacings, configuration interaction, magnetic moments, quadrupole moments, and $E2$ transition rates are discussed, with emphasis on features independent of special details of particle configurations. Magnetic moments, in particular, become orderly when account is taken of variations of surface coupling strength together with a directly induced configuration mixing. Experimental evidence favors the idea that a true weak coupling situation exists for many nuclei near closed shells. In these nuclei, collective quadrupole effects may be appreciable while all other collective effects are nigligible.
Partial Flow DPF System for Large Bore or High Power Applications

A number of technical challenges are faced when applying wall flow Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) systems to large high horsepower off-highway applications, locomotives, and marine diesel engine applications due to the size of the DPF system required and the space constraints associated with these applications. Experimental results show that a new approach of adding an exhaust bypass valve, creating a partial-flow DPF system, can greatly reduce the DPF package size while continuing to offer significant PM emission reductions. The exhaust bypass valve is configured to open proportionally to maintain a pre-set maximum engine backpressure as the exhaust flow increases.Proof-of-concept testing of an experimental partial flow DPF system was conducted on a 3MW, 4-stroke locomotive engine, following U.S. EPA locomotive certification test protocols. These tests showed that the experimental DPF system, which was approximately 40 percent smaller than what would be expected for this application, provided an 84 percent PM reduction over the US-EPA Switcher Cycle and 59 percent reduction over the Line-Haul Cycle. It was calculated that the system could provide a 91 percent PM reduction over the Switcher Cycle and 76 percent PM reduction over the Line-Haul Cycle with addition of a DOC in the bypass exhaust flow.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
An immunophenotypic study of canine leukemias and preliminary assessment of clonality by polymerase chain reaction.

Abstract There is a relative lack of information in the veterinary literature regarding the immunophenotypes present in canine leukemias. Utilizing a panel of thirty monoclonal antibodies, canine leukemias were assessed by flow cytometry alone or by flow cytometry in combination with immunocytochemical staining of smears. Canine chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) occurred in older dogs (mean age 9.75 years; range 1.5–15 years; n = 73 cases). Blood lymphocyte counts ranged from 15,000 to 1,600,000/μl. Surprisingly, 73% of CLL cases involved proliferation of T lymphocytes (CD3+), and 54% of CLL cases had large granular lymphocyte (LGL) morphology. LGL CLL’s were almost exclusively proliferation’s of T cells that expressed CD8 and the leukointegrin αDβ2 and more frequently expressed T cell receptor (TCR) αβ (69%) than TCRγδ (31%). The non-LGL T cell CLL cases (19% of CLL) involved proliferation of TCRαβ T cells in which no consistent pattern of CD4 or CD8 expression was found. B cell CLL, based on expression of CD21 or CD79a, comprised 26% of canine CLL cases. These results are in marked contrast to people where greater than 95% of CLL cases involve proliferation of B lymphocytes. Thirty eight (38) acute leukemias were also immunophenotyped. The majority (55%) of these leukemias had a phenotype most consistent with a myeloid origin. Acute LGL leukemias were also observed (7/38), although less commonly than the CLL counterpart. CD34 expression was common in acute, non-LGL leukemias of dogs, both myeloid and lymphoid. In some circumstances, it can be difficult to differentiate a reactive (polyclonal) lymphoid proliferation from a neoplastic (monoclonal) one. Therefore, as an adjunct to phenotypic studies, we have developed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based test for assessment of clonality in T cell proliferations. The test amplifies the junction of the variable γ (Vγ) and joining γ (Jγ) gene segments region of the TCR γ genes. Preliminary data indicates that our test is effective and is capable of differentiating a neoplastic from a reactive lymphoproliferative process.
Comparing effects of navigational interface modalities on speaker prosodics

Displayless interface technology must address issues similar to those of GUI access technology for users with visual impairments. Both must address the issue of providing nonvisual access to spatial data. This research examined the hypothesis that strictly verbal access to spatial datsi places a cognitive burden on the user, which in turn impacts the prosodies, i.e., nonverbal aspects, of the user?s speech. The hypothesis was tested through experiments in which subjects used speech-based, displayless interface followed by a multimodal interface to perform a series of navigational tasks. Their speech was recorded during the experiments and post-processed for prosodic content. Statistical analysis of the post-processed data showed significant differences in subjects? prosodies when using the displayless versus the multimodal interface.
Algebraic reduction in discrete light-cone quantized electrodynamics using Maple V

This paper describes a symbolic computation system within the Maple V environment for carrying out algebraic reductions useful in a discrete light-cone quantization formulation of quantum electrodynamics. Elements of the resulting program package are identified and some typical applications are presented.
Bone quality factor analysis: A new noninvasive technique for the measurement of bone density and bone strength

The sensitivity of bone mineral density (BMD) as a predictor of fracture risk is limited by the fact that this index does not take into account the geometrical and material characteristics of bone. In contrast, both BMD and bone architecture influence the quality factor (QF), the fraction of the inverse of the energy lost in one cycle of deformation. In this study we have compared the sensitivity of a QF analyzer and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in detecting the changes induced by ovariectomy (OVX) on the QF, impact strength, and BMD of the femur of mature rats. QF and BMD were measured noninvasively before and 4 weeks after OVX or sham operation using a QF analyzer developed in our laboratory and a Hologic QDR 2000 bone densitometry, respectively. Impact strength was measured in excised femurs at the end of the study. The in vivo short-term precision (coefficient of variation) of the QF analyzer was 1.9%. BMD and QF measurements were highly correlated (r = 0.80,p <0.0001). At baseline, QF and BMD were similar in OVX and sham-operated rats. At 4 weeks, BMD was 14.7 + or - 0.9% lower than at baseline (p < 0.001) in OVX rats and 5.3 + or - 1.3% lower in sham-operated rats (p <0.05). QF decreased 36.0 + or - 2.8% (p <0.0001) in OVX and 10.6 + or - 3.6% in sham rats (p <0.01). As a result, at 4 weeks the difference between sham-operated and OVX rats was larger (p < 0.05) by QF than by BMD. Moreover, QF correlated better than BMD with impact strength and the difference in impact strength between sham and OVX mice was closer to that in QF than that in BMD. These data demonstrate that QF analysis is a precise technique that is more sensitive than DXA in detecting the changes in bone density and strength induced by OVX. QF analysis may represent a new, simple, and economic technique for predicting fracture risk.
TM scattering by an impedance sheet extension of a parabolic cylinder

An integral equation and method of moments (MM) solution are presented for the two-dimensional (2-D) problem of transverse magnetic (TM) scattering by an impedance-sheet extension of a perfectly conducting parabolic cylinder. An integral equation is formulated for a dielectric cylinder of general cross section in the presence of a perfectly conducting parabolic cylinder. It is then shown that the solution for a general dielectric cylinder considerably simplifies for the special case of TM scattering by a thin multilayered dielectric strip that can be represented as an impedance sheet. The solution is termed an MM/Green's function solution, where the unknowns in the integral equation are the electric surface currents flowing in the impedance sheet; the presence of the parabolic cylinder is accounted for by including its Green's function in the kernel of the integral equation. The MM solution is briefly reviewed, and expressions for the elements in the matrix equation and the scattered fields are given. Sample numerical results are provided. >
Limits of Transplantation Tolerance in Large Amoebae. I. Microfusion Studies Using Amoeba proteus, Pelomyxa illinoisensis, and Three Strains of Pelomyxa carolinensis*

Protoplasm transferred to a multinucleated amoeba is well tolerated if the donor and recipient portions are from the same amocba, from different amoebae of a single clone, from different amoebac oi the same species found in a given location, or from different amoebae of the same species found in widely separated geographic areas. On the other hand, protoplasm is not tolerated and death invariably follows interspecific or intergeneric microtransfers between any two of the three species of amoebae used in this study. Attempts to overcome the tolerance block in heterologous transfers by the use of x radiation fuiled although a significant extension of the mean survival time was obtained. The latter can also be interpreted as a limited therapeutic effect of nonirradiated, heterologous donor protoplasm on supralethally irradiated recipients.
Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus is not the cause of thiamine deficiency impeding lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) recruitment in the Great Lakes

Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency is a global concern affecting wildlife, livestock, and humans. In Great Lakes salmonines, thiamine deficiency causes embryo mortality and is an impediment to restoration of native lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) stocks. Thiamine deficiency in fish may result from a diet of prey with high levels of thiaminase I. The discov- eries that the bacterial species Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus produces thiaminase I, is found in viscera of thiaminase- containing prey fish, and causes mortality when fed to lake trout in the laboratory provided circumstantial evidence implicat- ing P. thiaminolyticus. This study quantified the contribution of P. thiaminolyticus to the total thiaminase I activity in multi- ple trophic levels of Great Lakes food webs. Unexpectedly, no relationship between thiaminase activity and either the amount of P. thiaminolyticus thiaminase I protein or the abundance of P. thiaminolyticus cells was found. These results dem- onstrate that P. thiaminolyticus is not the primary source of thiaminase activity affecting Great Lakes salmonines and calls into question the long-standing assumption that P. thiaminolyticus is the source of thiaminase in other wild and domestic animals. Resume : La carence en thiamine (vitamine B1) est un probleme d'envergure planetaire touchant tant les animaux sauvages et d'elevage que les humains. Chez les salmonines des Grands Lacs, la carence en thiamine est cause de mortalite embryon- naire et entrave le retablissement des stocks indigenes de touladi (Salvelinus namaycush). Une carence en thiamine chez les poissons peut decouler d'une alimentation faite des proies avec de fortes teneurs en thiaminase I. Le fait que la bacterie Pae- nibacillus thiaminolyticus produit de la thiaminase I, qu'elle est presente dans les visceres de poissons proies contenant de la thiaminase et qu'elle cause une mortalite quand elle est donnee a manger a des touladis en laboratoire sont autant de de- couvertes offrant des preuves circonstancielles de l'implication de P. thiaminolyticus. L'etude a quantifie la contribution de P. thiaminolyticus al 'activite totale de la thiaminase I dans de multiples niveaux trophiques de reseaux trophiques des
Statistical bin limits-an approach to wafer disposition in IC fabrication

The authors describe the methodology of selecting and implementing statistical bin limits at wafer level test so as to minimize the value added to a defective product, improve the overall outgoing quality and reliability of a product, and provide a tool for helping to drive root cause identification of fabrication problems. >
The Relationships between Climatic and Hydrological Changes in the Upper Mississippi River Basin: A SWAT and Multi-GCM Study

Abstract Changes in major climatic and hydrological quantities in the upper Mississippi River basin and their interrelationships are studied with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool being driven by the contemporary climate and future scenario simulations of 10 global models in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Data Archive. Although the seasonal cycles of climate and hydrological quantities simulated by the 10 models have differences, the ensemble is very close to the observation. Ensemble predictions show that with warming in all months, precipitation decreases in summer but increases in all other seasons. Correspondingly, streamflow decreases in all seasons except winter, evapotranspiration decreases in July–September and increases in all other months, and snowmelt increases in winter but decreases in spring and fall. To understand the linkages between the cross-century changes of climate and hydrological quantities and the relative importance of the changes of temperature and precipit...
Precise miss analysis for program transformations with caches of arbitrary associativity

Analyzing and optimizing program memory performance is a pressing problem in high-performance computer architectures. Currently, software solutions addressing the processor-memory performance gap include compiler-or programmer-applied optimizations like data structure padding, matrix blocking, and other program transformations. Compiler optimization can be effective, but the lack of precise analysis and optimization frameworks makes it impossible to confidently make optimal, rather than heuristic-based, program transformations. Imprecision is most problematic in situations where hard-to-predict cache conflicts foil heuristic approaches. Furthermore, the lack of a general framework for compiler memory performance analysis makes it impossible to understand the combined effects of several program transformations.The Cache Miss Equation (CME) framework discussed in this paper addresses these issues. We express memory reference and cache conflict behavior in terms of sets of equations. The mathematical precision of CMEs allows us to find true optimal solutions for transformations like blocking or padding. The generality of CMEs also allows us to reason about interactions between transformations applied in concert. Unlike our prior work, this framework applies to caches of arbitrary associativity. This paper also demonstrates the utility of CMEs by presenting precise algorithms for intra-variable padding, inter-variable padding, and selecting tile sizes. Our experiences with CMEs implemented in the SUIF system show that they are a unifying mathematical framework offering the generality and precision imperative for compiler optimizations on current high-performance architectures.
End-of-Life Care in Nursing Homes: The Importance of CNA Staff Communication

Objective Staff communication has been shown to influence overall nursing home (NH) performance. However, no empirical studies have focused specifically on the impact of CNA communication on end-of-life (EOL) care processes. This study examines the relationship between CNA communication and nursing home performance in EOL care processes. Design Secondary data analysis of 2 NH surveys conducted in 2006–2007. Setting One hundred seven nursing homes in New York State. Participants Participants were 2636 CNAs and 107 directors of nursing (DON). Measurements The measures of EOL care processes—EOL assessment and care delivery (5-point Likert scale scores)—were obtained from survey responses provided by 107 DONs. The measure of CNA communication was derived from survey responses obtained from 2636 CNAs. Other independent variables included staff education, hospice use intensity, staffing ratio, staff-resident ethnic overlap index, facility religious affiliation, and ownership. Methods The reliability and validity of the measures of EOL care processes and CNA communication were tested in the current study sample. Multivariate linear regression models with probability weights were used. The analysis was conducted at the facility level. Results We found better CNA communication to be significantly associated with better EOL assessment ( P = .043) and care delivery ( P = .098). Two potentially modifiable factors—staff education and hospice use intensity—were associated with NHs' performance in EOL care processes. Facilities with greater ethnic overlap between staff and residents demonstrated better EOL assessment ( P = .051) and care delivery scores ( P = .029). Conclusion Better CNA communication was associated with better performance in EOL care processes. Our findings provide specific insights for NH leaders striving to improve EOL care processes and ultimately the quality of care for dying residents.
Short communication: Evaluation of milk urea nitrogen as a management tool to reduce ammonia emissions from dairy farms

The purpose of this study was to compile and evaluate relationships between feed nitrogen (N) intake, milk urea N (MUN), urinary urea N (UUN), and ammonia (NH(3)) emissions from dairy farms to aid policy development. Regression relationships between MUN, UUN, and NH(3) emissions were compiled from studies conducted in Wisconsin, California, and the Netherlands. Relative reductions in NH(3) emissions were calculated as percentage decreases in NH(3) emissions associated with a baseline MUN level of 14 mg/dL (prevailing industry average). For 3 studies with cows in stanchion barns, relative NH(3) emission reductions of 10.3 to 28.2% were obtained when MUN declined from 14 to 10mg/dL. Similarly, analyses of 2 freestall studies provided relative NH(3) emission reductions of 10.5 to 33.7% when MUN levels declined from 14 to 10mg/dL. The relative reductions in NH(3) emissions from both stanchion and freestall barns can be associated directly with reductions in UUN excretion, which can be determined using MUN. The results of this study may help create new awareness, and perhaps eventual industry-based incentives, for management practices that enhance feed N use efficiency and reduce MUN, UUN, and NH(3) emissions from dairy farms.
Are Some Features Easier to Bind Than Others? The Congruency Effect

A common perceptual error consists of binding the features of objects in the wrong combinations. Another common finding is that incongruent thoughts or feelings tend to be rejected by the cognitive system. We combined these two notions and found that the incongruence-suppression rule constrains the binding process. We used a task in which participants were asked to bind either congruent or incongruent features together. Whether those features were digits and physical sizes (Experiment 1) or color words and colored fonts (Experiment 2), we observed a new effect that we refer to as the binding congruency effect: When participants were asked to bind incongruent features together, the error rate increased, and participants replaced the incongruent features with congruent features. Experiment 3 demonstrated that the effect depends on the migration of the relevant feature within the same level.
Performance analysis of the augmented wireless sensor network testbed

Existing testing systems are not suited for testing of tactical hardware in complex battlefield configurations due to the increased complexity of sensors that include network interfaces and sensor fusion algorithms. We are developing a system for augmented testing of wireless sensor networks that supports virtual system configurations interacting with the real-time hardware in the loop. The testbed provides a realistic simulated representation of a tactical network that allows faithful testing of networked systems focusing on hardware in the loop sensors and sensor fusion systems. Systems can be tested using this method in a controlled repeatable environment not feasible in field testing. The system design combines dedicated High Performance Computing (HPC) resources with a scalable, high fidelity network emulation and a Computer Generated Forces (CGF) model to virtually represent the tactical network, force movement, interactions, and communication loads to systems under test. The system is implemented using QualNet network emulation and OneSAF CGF running on a parallel Linux blade system and integrates sensors to the simulated virtual environment through wireless gateways and Ethernet connections. This paper presents the design framework, current implementation of the system, and real-time performance measurements.
Independent origins and horizontal transfer of bacterial symbionts of aphids

Many insect groups have obligate associations with primary endosymbionts: mutualistic bacteria that are maternally transmitted and derived from an ancient infection. Often, the same insects are hosts to 'secondary' bacterial symbionts which are maternally transmitted but relatively labile within host lineages. To explore the dynamics of secondary symbiont associations in aphids, we characterized bacteria infecting 15 species of macrosiphine aphids using DNA sequencing, diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR), diagnostic restriction digests, phylogenetic analyses, and electron microscopy to examine aphids from nature and from laboratory colonies. Three types of bacteria besides Buchnera were found repeatedly; all three fall within the Enterobacteriaceae. The R-type has a 16S rDNA less than 0.1% different from that of the secondary symbiont previously reported from Acyrthosiphon pisum and is related to Serratia species. The T-type includes a symbiont previously reported from a whitefly; the U-type comprises a new cluster near the T-type. The T-type was found in every one of 40 Uroleucon ambrosiae clones collected throughout the United States. In contrast, A. pisum individuals were infected by any combination of the three symbiont types. Secondary symbionts were maternally transmitted for 11 months within laboratory-reared A. pisum clones and were present in sexually produced eggs. PCR screens for a bacteriophage, APSE-1, indicated its presence in both A. pisum and U. ambrosiae containing secondary symbionts. Electron microscopy of R-type and T-type bacteria in A. pisum and in U. ambrosiae revealed rod-shaped organisms that attain extremely high densities within a few bacteriocytes.
The Late Quaternary biogeographic histories of some Great Basin mammals (western USA)

The Great Basin of arid western North America provides one of the most detailed late Pleistocene and Holocene mammal records available for any part of the world, though the record is by far strongest for small mammals. Of the 35 genera of now-extinct North American Pleistocene mammals, 19 are known to have occurred in the Great Basin, a list that is likely to be complete or nearly so. Of these 19, seven can be shown to have survived beyond 12,000 radiocarbon years ago, a proportion similar to that for North America as a whole. Horses, camels, mammoth, and helmeted musk-oxen appear to have been the most abundant of these genera. Pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis), yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris), and bushy-tailed woodrats (Neotoma cinerea) declined in abundance at the end of the Pleistocene, at about the same time as populations south of their current arid western distributional boundary were extirpated. Subsequent declines occurred during the hot/dry middle Holocene. Pygmy rabbits also declined as modern pinyon-juniper woodlands developed across the Great Basin. The Snake Range of eastern Nevada has seen the late Pleistocene or Holocene extinction of both northern pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides) and pikas (Ochotona princeps). Coupled with the rarity of yellow-bellied marmots here, these histories make the Snake Range a biogeographic oddity. These and other Great Basin mammal histories provide significant insights into the possible responses of Great Basin small mammals to global warming.
Translational tuning optimizes nascent protein folding in cells

In cells, biosynthetic machinery coordinates protein synthesis and folding to optimize efficiency and minimize off-pathway outcomes. However, it has been difficult to delineate experimentally the mechanisms responsible. Using fluorescence resonance energy transfer, we studied cotranslational folding of the first nucleotide-binding domain from the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator. During synthesis, folding occurred discretely via sequential compaction of N-terminal, α-helical, and α/β-core subdomains. Moreover, the timing of these events was critical; premature α-subdomain folding prevented subsequent core formation. This process was facilitated by modulating intrinsic folding propensity in three distinct ways: delaying α-subdomain compaction, facilitating β-strand intercalation, and optimizing translation kinetics via codon usage. Thus, de novo folding is translationally tuned by an integrated cellular response that shapes the cotranslational folding landscape at critical stages of synthesis.
Nitrosylcobalamin potentiates the anti-neoplastic effects of chemotherapeutic agents via suppression of survival signaling.

Background Nitrosylcobalamin (NO-Cbl) is a chemotherapeutic pro-drug derived from vitamin B12 that preferentially delivers nitric oxide (NO) to tumor cells, based upon increased receptor expression. NO-Cbl induces Apo2L/TRAIL-mediated apoptosis and inhibits survival signaling in a variety of malignant cell lines. Chemotherapeutic agents often simultaneously induce an apoptotic signal and activation of NF-κB, which has the undesired effect of promoting cell survival. The specific aims of this study were to 1) measure the anti-tumor effects of NO-Cbl alone and in combination with conventional chemotherapeutic agents, and to 2) examine the mechanism of action of NO-Cbl as a single agent and in combination therapy. Methodology Using anti-proliferative assays, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), immunoblot analysis and kinase assays, we demonstrate an increase in the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic agents in combination with NO-Cbl as a result of suppressed NF-κB activation. Results Eighteen chemotherapeutic agents were tested in combination with NO-Cbl, in thirteen malignant cell lines, resulting in a synergistic anti-proliferative effect in 78% of the combinations tested. NO-Cbl pre-treatment resulted in decreased NF-κB DNA binding activity, inhibition of IκB kinase (IKK) enzymatic activity, decreased AKT activation, increased caspase-8 and PARP cleavage, and decreased cellular XIAP protein levels. Conclusion The use of NO-Cbl to inhibit survival signaling may enhance drug efficacy by preventing concomitant activation of NF-κB or AKT.
Youth and familial substance use's association with suicide attempts among runaway and homeless youth.

This study examined how youth suicide attempts are associated with youth and familial substance use among two samples of runaway and homeless youth (RHY): (a) a nationally representative sample of ...
Long-lived qubit memory using atomic ions

We demonstrate experimentally a robust quantum memory using a magnetic-field-independent hyperfine transition in 9Be+ atomic ion qubits at a magnetic field B approximately = 0.01194 T. We observe that the single physical qubit memory coherence time is greater than 10 s, an improvement of approximately 5 orders of magnitude from previous experiments with 9Be+. We also observe long coherence times of decoherence-free subspace logical qubits comprising two entangled physical qubits and discuss the merits of each type of qubit.
Residential segregation and black-white intermarriage.

I use 1980, 1990, and 2000 Census data to show that greater residential segregation is associated with a lower probability that black men, black women, white men, and white women are in black-white marriages. This negative relationship grows stronger among whites and remains constant among blacks when I control for local marriage market characteristics. Plausible explanations for the results are discussed and investigated.
Kinetics of the Reaction of UC2 and Nitrogen from 1500° to 1700°C

The kinetics of the reaction of UC2 spheres with nitrogen was studied from 1500° to 1700°C. A metallographic method was used to determine the time-dependent conversion of UC2 to U(C,N) and free C. The conversion appeared to be controlled by the diffusion of solid carbon in solution to sites where it could precipitate as free carbon. These sites were the surface of the sphere and particles of free carbon that existed within the original UC2. An increased distribution of these internal sites decreased the distance for carbon diffusion and resulted in an increased rate of reaction. The UC2 appeared to undergo a very rapid initial reaction that resulted in the uptake of 1 to 5 at.% nitrogen in the UC2 at these temperatures.
Macular structural characteristics in children with congenital and developmental cataracts.

Purpose To investigate macular structural characteristics in children with congenital or developmental cataracts. Methods Children 5-16 years of age with a history of surgery for congenital or acquired cataract were enrolled. Eligible patients had visual acuity of 20/400 or better and ≥37 weeks gestational age at birth. Patients were divided into two groups: unilateral (n = 22) and bilateral (n = 19). Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) was used to image the retinal structure. Retinal volume scans centered on the fovea were obtained. Using the instrument's segmentation software, central subfield thickness (CST) and the thickness of the inner and outer retinal layer regions were measured. Results In the unilateral group, 1 child with persistent fetal vasculature had unidentifiable retinal structure and was excluded. Most unilateral eyes (20/21) had a CST within the normal range. However, the CST, superior, nasal, inferior, and temporal sectors were all significantly thicker in the cataractous eye compared to the noncataractous eye (all P t test]). The interocular difference for CST was not associated with age at surgery or interocular difference for visual acuity. In the bilateral group, although 34 of 38 eyes were within the normal range, the average CST of this group was significantly thicker than the noncataractous eye in the unilateral group. Conclusions Following cataract extraction during infancy or childhood, most cataractous eyes had normal macular structure. Cataractous eyes of both unilaterally and bilaterally affected children have thicker CST values compared to the noncataractous eye.
The role of initial cells in maize anther morphogenesis

The near absence of cell movement in plants makes clonal analysis a particularly informative method for reconstructing the early events of organ formation. We traced the patterns of cell division during maize anther development by inducing sector boundaries that preceded the earliest events of anther initiation. In doing this, we were able to estimate the smallest number of cells that are fated to form an anther, characteristic cell division patterns that occur during anther morphogenesis, and the relationship between the pre-existing symmetry of the initial cells and the final symmetry of the mature anther. Four general conclusions are made: (1) anthers are initiated from small groups of 12 or fewer cells in each of two floral meristematic layers; (2) the early growth of the anther is more like a shoot than a glume or leaf; (3) cell ancestry does not dictate basic structure and (4) the orientation of initial cells predicts the orientation of the four pollen-containing microsporangia, which define the axes of symmetry on the mature anther. The final point is discussed with other data, and an explanation involving a 'structural template' is invoked. The idea is that the orientation of initial cells within the floral meristem establishes an architectural pattern into which anther cells are recruited without regard to their cellular lineages. The structural template hypothesis may prove to be generally applicable to problems of pattern formation in plants.