cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Water-deficiency effects on single leaf gas exchange and on C4 pathway enzymes of maize genotypes with differing abiotic stress tolerance

Responses to drought were studied using two maize inbred lines (B76 and B106) and a commercial maize hybrid (Zea mays L. cv. Silver Queen) with differing resistance to abiotic stress. Maize seedlings were grown in pots in controlled environment chambers for 17 days and watering was withheld from one half the plants for an additional 11 days. On the final treatment date, leaf water potentials did not differ among genotypes and were −0.84 and −1.49 MPa in the water sufficient and insufficient treatments, respectively. Greater rates of CO2 assimilation were retained by the stress tolerant maize inbred line, B76, in comparison to the other two genotypes 11 days after watering was withheld. Rates of CO2 assimilation for all three genotypes were unaffected by decreasing the measurement O2 concentration from 21 to 2% (v/v). Activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME), and NADP malate dehydrogenase were inhibited from 25 to 49% by the water deficiency treatment. Genotypic differences also were detected for the activities of NADP-ME and for PEPC. Changes of transcript abundance for the three C4 pathway enzymes also varied among watering treatments and genotypes. However, examples where transcripts decreased due to drought were associated with the two stress susceptible genotypes. The above results showed that enzymes in the C4 photosynthetic pathway were less inhibited by drought in stress tolerant compared to stress susceptible maize genotypes.
Validation of a Stochastic Fuel Injection Model for Gas Turbine Combustors

In gas turbine combustors, enhanced atomization through the whole combustor region is essential for satisfactory performance since droplet size and distribution can have direct impact on almost all key aspects of combustion. To predict these flows, KIVA-II, a three-dimensional full Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solver with the capability to handle finite rate chemistry and liquid spray injection is utilized. The Monte-Carlo based spray model in KIVA-II was developed to predict the flows in internal combustion engines and includes submodels for drop injection, breakup, coalescence, and evaporation. To assess the validity of the spray model for gas turbine combustors, numerical flow field predictions have been compared with experimental data provided by University of California, Irvine (UCI) Combustion Laboratory. The predicted spray behavior is in satisfactory agreement between the numerical prediction and the experiment downstream near the fuel injector. However, far downstream of the nozzle exit the deviation between the numerical results and the experimental data increases.Copyright © 1995 by ASME
Informatics strategies for large-scale novel cross-linking analysis.

The detection of protein interactions in biological systems represents a significant challenge for today's technology. Chemical cross-linking provides the potential to impart new chemical bonds in a complex system that result in mass changes in a set of tryptic peptides detected by mass spectrometry. However, system complexity and cross-linking product heterogeneity have precluded widespread chemical cross-linking use for large-scale identification of protein−protein interactions. The development of mass spectrometry identifiable cross-linkers called protein interaction reporters (PIRs) has enabled on-cell chemical cross-linking experiments with product type differentiation. However, the complex datasets resultant from PIR experiments demand new informatics capabilities to allow interpretation. This manuscript details our efforts to develop such capabilities and describes the program X-links, which allows PIR product type differentiation. Furthermore, we also present the results from Monte Carlo simulatio...
Fabrication of high-field short-period permanent magnet wigglers

Abstract A permanent magnet wiggler is described that has been designed to lase at unusually short wavelengths. Its novel features include the following: all magnets are magnetized parallel to the wiggler's axis; only two pairs per period are used; the gap occupied by the electron beam is very small; the magnet arrangement is optimized for lasing on the third harmonic; the assembly of the magnets is carried out during continuous measurements of the field integrals; field gradients are measured with equal care; and residual errors are corrected by gluing small correcting magnets to appropriate places. The assembly, testing, and trimming of this wiggler was accomplished in less than a week. The wiggler has been used to lase successfully at 0.375 μm wavelength.
The significance of ketosis.

BY KETOSIS we understand the occurrence or accumulation in the blood in significant amounts of the so-called ketone bodies, namely beta-hydroxybutyric acid, acetoacetic (or diacetic) acid and, secondarily, acetone. In normal subjects on a general diet ketone bodies are present in the blood in inconsiderable amounts (Barnes and Wick, 1939). They appear in largest quantities in cases of severe diabetes and with normal subjects only when fasting or when the food carbohydrate is greatly restricted. Hirschfeld in 1895 (42) first showed that the factor common to these conditions and responsible for the ketosis is the absence of carbohydrate from the food or, as in the diabetic, from his metabolism. Today there is no question that ketosis is due to carbohydrate lack. Antiketogenesis versus Ketolysis Our ideas of how carbohydrate lack produces a ketosis have undergone many alterations. The old idea, first advanced by Geelmuyden in 1909 (39), that the ketone bodies represented incomplete oxidation products of the ...
Evidence-Based Review of the Pharmacoeconomics Related to the Management of Chronic Nonmalignant Pain

Chronic pain is one of the most common reasons for patients to seek medical care. Chronic pain results in substantial economic losses and remains one of the most costly conditions in modern western society. In 1991, costs were estimated to be approximately $65 billion annually, comparable to the cost of treating diabetes. Persistent chronic pain and the use of advanced interventional and pharmacological treatments often leads to complex social and psychological maladaptations, health care overutilization, as well as many other substantial direct and indirect costs. Thus, the proper treatment of chronic pain involves intense multidisciplinary management, including pharmacological, behavioral, and psychological interventions. Few studies have assessed the total economic cost of chronic pain. However, many of the chronic pain treatments do not alleviate pain symptoms for most patients and lead to unsuccessful application of resources. The economic consequences of inadequately treated chronic pain translates into lost work days, overutilization of health care resources (excess hospitalizations, and surgical procedures and inappropriate medications) and other out-of-pocket patient expenses. Increasing emphasis on diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain places more importance on the need for efficient and coordinated management of patient with chronic pain. The management of chronic pain is remarkably complex and resource intensive. Therefore, a clear need exists for intensive pharmacoeconomic investigations, specifically evaluating costs related to chronic pain and the associated treatment modalities. Additionally, evaluation of the costs related to chronic pain would measure the economic burden of chronic pain, including an estimate of the amount that could potentially be saved if chronic pain patients are optimally managed.
Starvation and Triglycerides Reverse the Obesity-Induced Impairment of Insulin Transport at the Blood-Brain Barrier

Insulin in the brain acts as a satiety factor, reduces appetite, and decreases body mass. Altered sensing by brain of insulin may be a leading cause of weight gain and insulin resistance. A decrease in the transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) of insulin may induce brain insulin resistance by inducing obesity. We here report that transport of iv administrated insulin across the BBB of obese mice, as measured by multiple-time regression analysis, was significantly lower than that in thin adult mice. The reduction in obese mice was reversed by starvation for 48 h. There were no differences in insulin transport rates across the BBB of obese, thin, or starved obese mice when studied by the brain perfusion model, demonstrating that BBB transport of insulin is modulated by circulating factors. In the brain perfusion study, the triglyceride triolein significantly increased the brain uptake of insulin, an effect opposite to that on leptin transport, in starved obese mice. Thus, circulating triglycerides are one of the systemic modulators for the transport of insulin across the BBB.
Multilevel integral equation methods for the extraction of substrate coupling parameters in mixed-signal IC's

The extraction of substrate coupling resistances can be formulated as a first-kind integral equation, which requires only discretization of the two-dimensional contacts. However, the result is a dense matrix problem which is too expensive to store or to factor directly. Instead, we present a novel, multigrid iterative method which converges more rapidly than previously applied Krylov-subspace methods. At each level in the multigrid hierarchy, we avoid dense matrix-vector multiplication by using moment-matching approximations and a sparsification algorithm based on eigendecomposition. Results on realistic examples demonstrate that the combined approach is up to an order of magnitude faster than a Krylov-subspace method with sparsification, and orders of magnitude faster than not using sparsification at all.
Revising the borderline diagnosis for DSM-V: an alternative proposal.

The changes in the borderline personality disorder (BPD) diagnosis proposed by the DSM-V personality disorder work group involve radical changes in format (prototype and dimensions) and descriptive characteristics (traits). Changes of this magnitude will create an unwelcome and potentially harmful discontinuity with the definition that has guided BPD research and the development of disorder-specific therapies. This paper offers an alternative proposal that was developed in collaboration with clinical and research leaders. It includes modification of existing criteria, use of a diagnostic algorithm based on phenotypes, and giving BPD a hierarchical relationship vis-a-vis other personality disorders. These changes are incremental, diminish overlap and heterogeneity, sustain clinical and research development, and will improve utilization.
Distributed In-Network Channel Decoding

Average log-likelihood ratios (LLRs) constitute sufficient statistics for centralized maximum-likelihood block decoding as well as for a posteriori probability evaluation which enables bit-wise (possibly iterative) decoding. By acquiring such average LLRs per sensor it becomes possible to perform these decoding tasks in a low-complexity distributed fashion using wireless sensor networks. At affordable communication overhead, the resultant distributed decoders rely on local message exchanges among single-hop neighboring sensors to achieve iteratively consensus on the average LLRs per sensor. Furthermore, the decoders exhibit robustness to non-ideal inter-sensor links affected by additive noise and random link failures. Pairwise error probability bounds benchmark the decoding performance as a function of the number of consensus iterations. Interestingly, simulated tests corroborating the analytical findings demonstrate that only a few consensus iterations suffice for the novel distributed decoders to approach the performance of their centralized counterparts.
A Short-Wave Infrared Nanoinjection Imager With 2500 A/W Responsivity and Low Excess Noise

We report on a novel nanoinjection-based short-wave infrared imager, which consists of InGaAs/GaAsSb/InAlAs/InP-based nanoinjection detectors with internal gain. The imager is 320×256 pixels with a 30-m pixel pitch. The test pixels show responsivity values in excess of 2500 A/W, indicating generation of more than 2000 electrons/photon with high quantum efficiency. This amplification is achieved at complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatible, subvolt bias. The measured excess noise factor F of the hybridized imager pixels is around 1.5 at the responsivity range 1500 to 2000 A/W. The temperature behavior of the internal dark current of the imager pixels is also studied from 300 to 77 K. The presented results show, for the first time, that the nanoinjection mechanism can be implemented in imagers to provide detector-level internal amplification, while maintaining low noise levels and CMOS compatibility.
Understanding factors influencing Latina women’s screening behavior: a qualitative approach

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand influential factors associated with decisions to obtain breast or cervical cancer screening by diverse Latinas after attending a community-based educational program. Forty-five interviews were conducted in Arkansas, New York City and Buffalo, New York. Thematic data analyses were conducted to understand influential factors following from the intervention. Four major themes emerged from the interviews: Social Capital, Screening Utilization, Health Care Provider (HCP) Communication and Social Networks. Social Capital included resources, access or screening knowledge women had prior to participation in the program and new resources and contacts gained through the program that influenced care seeking. Screening Utilization factors included past health experiences and participation in the program. HCP Communication included perceptions of quality of care and communication issues with HCPs that positively and negatively impacted screening. Social Networks included women's networks regarding emotional support, encouragement to discuss health issues, overall family network and how these may influence health-seeking behaviors. These findings suggest that participating in group-based health outreach programs empowered women by increasing their knowledge and awareness about the health care system and enabled them, with the tools provided, to become proactive in their health care-seeking behaviors.
Neurophysiological and Behavioral Changes in Non-Target Wildlife Exposed to Organophosphate and Carbamate Pesticides: Thermoregulation, Food Consumption, and Reproduction

SYNOPSIS. Originally utilized or developed as human poisons, anticholinesterase compounds are among the most widely used pesticides in the world and non-target wildlife are frequently exposed. Because these compounds primarily act by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase at synapses within the central and peripheral nervous systems, the potential for altering physiological and behavioral responses essential for survival and reproduction in exposed animals is great. We review the effects of acute but sublethal exposure to organophosphates and carbamates on thermoregulation (hypothermia), food consumption (anorexia and altered foraging behavior), and reproduction (altered hormone levels, reductions in clutch and litter size, and alterations in reproductive behavior), and the mechanisms believed to cause them. We believe these are the direct toxic effects most likely to reduce populations of free-living birds and mammals within treated areas. Data from studies of captive birds and laboratory mammals and free-living individuals given controlled dosages are included with an emphasis on information published within the last 5 years. The limitations of existing data for determining the biological and regulatory significance of these effects are discussed.
How long to oceanic tracer and proxy equilibrium

Abstract The various time scales for distribution of tracers and proxies in the global ocean are critical to the interpretation of data from deep-sea cores. To obtain some basic physical insight into their behavior, a global ocean circulation model, forced to least-square consistency with modern data, is used to find lower bounds for the time taken by surface-injected passive tracers to reach equilibrium. Depending upon the geographical scope of the injection, major gradients exist, laterally, between the abyssal North Atlantic and North Pacific, and vertically over much of the ocean, persisting for periods longer than 2000 years and with magnitudes bearing little or no relation to radiocarbon ages. The relative vigor of the North Atlantic convective process means that tracer events originating far from that location at the sea surface will tend to display abyssal signatures there first, possibly leading to misinterpretation of the event location. Ice volume (glacio-eustatic) corrections to deep-sea δ 18 O values, involving fresh water addition or subtraction, regionally at the sea surface, cannot be assumed to be close to instantaneous in the global ocean, and must be determined quantitatively by modelling the flow and by including numerous more complex dynamical interactions.
Where is time spent in message-passing and shared-memory programs?

Message passing and shared memory are two techniques parallel programs use for coordination and communication. This paper studies the strengths and weaknesses of these two mechanisms by comparing equivalent, well-written message-passing and shared-memory programs running on similar hardware. To ensure that our measurements are comparable, we produced two carefully tuned versions of each program and measured them on closely-related simulators of a message-passing and a shared-memory machine, both of which are based on same underlying hardware assumptions.We examined the behavior and performance of each program carefully. Although the cost of computation in each pair of programs was similar, synchronization and communication differed greatly. We found that message-passing's advantage over shared-memory is not clear-cut. Three of the four shared-memory programs ran at roughly the same speed as their message-passing equivalent, even though their communication patterns were different.
THE INACTIVATION OF TRYPSIN : IV. THE ADSORPTION OF TRYPSIN BY CHARCOAL.

1. Charcoal removes trypsin from solution. The amount removed depends on the order in which the solutions are mixed. The reaction is not reversible and is almost independent of the pH of the solution. 2. Charcoal which has been previously treated with gelatin does not remove trypsin from solution. 3. The reaction is not analogous either to the reaction between trypsin and the inhibiting substance of serum or to the reaction between solid protein and either pepsin or trypsin.
Short-wavelength solar-blind detectors-status, prospects, and markets

Recent advances in the research work on III-nitride semiconductors and Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/N materials in particular has renewed the interest and led to significant progress in the development of ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors able to detect light in the mid- and near-UV spectral region (/spl lambda//spl sim/200-400 nm). There have been a growing number of applications which require the use of such sensors and, in many of these, it is important to be able to sense UV light without detecting infrared or visible light, especially from the Sun, in order to minimize the chances of false detection or high background. The research work on short-wavelength UV detectors has, therefore, been recently focused on realizing short-wavelength "solar-blind" detectors which, by definition, are insensitive to photons with wavelengths longer than /spl sim/285 nm. In this paper the development of Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/N-based solar-blind UV detectors will be reviewed. The technological issues pertaining to material synthesis and device fabrication will be discussed. The current state-of-the-art and future prospects for these detectors will be reviewed and discussed.
Formulating variable carrying capacity by exploring a resource dynamics-based feedback mechanism underlying the population growth models

Abstract Most of the population growth models comprise the concept of carrying capacity presume that a stable population would have a saturation level characteristic. This indicates that the population growth models have a common implicit feature of resource-limited growth, which contributes at a later stage of population growth by forming a numerical upper bound on the population size. However, a general underlying resource dynamics of the models has not been previously explored, which is the focus of present study. In this paper, we found that there exists a conservation of energy relationship comprising the terms of available resource and population density, jointly interpreted here as total available vital energy in a confined environment. We showed that this relationship determines a density-dependent functional form of relative population growth rate and consequently the parametric equations are in the form depending upon the population density, resource concentration, and time. Thus, the derived form of relative population growth rate is essentially a feedback type, i.e., updating parametric values for the corresponding population density. This resource dynamics-based feedback approach has been implemented for formulating variable carrying capacity in a confined environment. Particularly, at a constant resource replenishment rate, a density-dependent population growth equation similar to the classic logistic equation is derived, while one of the regulating factors of the underlying resource dynamics is that the resource consumption rate is directly proportional to the resource concentration. Likewise two other population growth equations similar to two known popular growth equations are derived based on this resource dynamics-based feedback approach. Using microcosm-derived data of fungus T. virens, we fitted one derived population growth model against the datasets, and concluded that this approach is practically implementable for studying a single population growth regulation in a confined environment.
Effect of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) on sediment carbon and nitrogen dynamics in an urban estuary

Oyster reefs have declined globally. Interest in their restoration has motivated research into oyster-mediated ecosystem services including effects on biodiversity, filtration, and nitrogen (N) cycling. Recent evidence suggests oysters may promote denitrification, or anaerobic respiration of nitrate (NO3-) into di-nitrogen gas, via benthic deposition of carbon (C) and N-rich biodeposits. However, the mechanisms whereby biodeposits promote N transformations prerequisite to denitrification (e.g., mineralization and nitrification) are unclear. Previous research has also not measured oysters' influence on N cycling in urbanized areas. In May 2010 we deployed eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) in mesh cages above sand-filled boxes at four sites across a nutrient gradient in Jamaica Bay, New York City (New York, USA). Oysters were arranged at four densities: 0, 40, 85, and 150 oysters/m2. For 17 months we measured water-column nutrients and chlorophyll a, every two weeks to monthly. Every two months we measured sediment ash-free dry mass (AFDM), exchangeable ammonium (NH4+), ammonification, nitrification, denitrification potential (DNP), and NO3- and C limitation of DNP. Oysters increased sediment AFDM at three of four sites, with the greatest increase at high density. Oysters did not affect any N pools or transformations. However, variation among sites and dates illustrated environmental drivers of C and N biogeochemistry in this urban estuary. Overall, nitrification was positively related to net ammonification, water column NH4+, and sediment NH4+, but was not correlated with DNP. Denitrification was consistently and strongly NO3- limited, while C was not limiting or secondarily limiting. Therefore, the oyster-mediated increase in AFDM did not affect DNP because C was not its primary driver. Also, because DNP was unrelated to nitrification, it is unlikely that biodeposit N was converted to NO3- for use as a denitrification substrate. Predicting times or sites where denitrification is driven by the C and N species originating from oyster biodeposits remains a challenge under eutrophic conditions. Towards this goal, we synthesized our conclusions with literature predictions in a conceptual model for pathways whereby oysters might influence C and N dynamics differently in oligotrophic relative to eutrophic ecosystems.
Social Skills, Family Conflict, and Loneliness in Families

The primary aim of this study was to examine associations between family conflict, social skills, and loneliness among a sample of 255 father–mother–adult child triads. We examined two dimensions of social skills, self-disclosure skills and positive relations with others, as moderators of the association between family environment conflict and loneliness using triadic models in SAS PROC MIXED. Self-disclosure skills moderated the association between family conflict and loneliness; however, positive relations with others did not moderate this association. Thus, our hypothesis was partially supported. Implications for taking a multidimensional view to examining social skills in conjunction with family conflict and loneliness are discussed.
Rejoinder to Mr. Sosa

I believe that Mr Sosa is right about my example but wrong on the substantive issue; which shows that my example was poorly chosen. If the ugliest Irishman was so ugly that even the Irish were offended, they might form a committee to get rid of him. Suppose he was kidnapped and deposited in New York. If we were informed of all this and also knew that the ugliest Irishman is the Prime Minister, I agree that we should have been given an adequate explanation of why the Prime Minister is in New York.
The first primary brain tumor operation in America

On February 25, 1886, in San Francisco, California the first documented resection of a primary brain tumor in the United States was performed by Drs. Hirschfelder and Morse. This operation followed fourteen months after the first recognized resection of a primary brain tumor in history was performed by Mr. Rickman Godlee in London, England, November 25, 1884. Hirschfelder and Morse's operation is presented, and the contemporary medical technology that made this operation possible is summarized. The unique circumstances that explain the occurrence of this milestone in the history of American neurosurgery are documented.
THE ROLE OF THE KIDNEY IN THE CATABOLISM OF BENCE JONES PROTEINS AND IMMUNOGLOBULIN FRAGMENTS

The role of the kidney in the catabolism of Bence Jones proteins, intact IgG molecules, and isolated L chains, Fab and Fc fragments of IgG, was studied. The proteins were purified, radioiodinated, and their survival times measured in nephrectomized, ureter-severed, and control mice. Active endogenous catabolism was the major factor in overall Bence Jones metabolism since excretion as proteinuria accounted for less than 25% of the total metabolism. The survival times of lambda- and kappa-type human Bence Jones proteins and the Bence Jones protein produced by mice with MPC-2 plasma cell tumor were exceedingly short in both unoperated and ureter-severed mice, with 50% of the injected protein catabolized in from 0.8-1.6 hr. In contrast, the survival of Bence Jones protein was markedly prolonged in nephrectomized animals, with 50% of the injected dose catabolized in from 9 to 17 hr. This ten-fold decrease in catabolic rate indicates that the kidneys are the major site of breakdown of Bence Jones proteins. Similar studies with other proteins indicated that the kidneys are also the major site for catabolism of isolated L chains but not of intact IgG molecules. The Fc immunoglobulin fragment was not catabolized and the Fab fragment only partially catabolized by the kidney. When ureter-severed animals were allowed to develop advanced uremia before being studied, the survival of Bence Jones protein was greatly prolonged, indicating that the catabolic process is impaired in the presence of uremia. The nature of this renal catabolism remains unknown. These observations suggest that the Bence Jones proteins and L chains observed in the urine of patients may reflect only a small fraction of such molecules synthesized by these patients. Furthermore, they provide an explanation for the prolongation of Bence Jones protein survival and the development of Bence Jones proteinemia observed in subjects with multiple myeloma and impaired renal function.
Analysis of Multiple Respondent Data

The nature of family research is such that several family members may be asked to comment on identical items. The purpose of this article is to discuss several approaches for analysis of multiple r...
Psychological Distress After Orthopedic Trauma: Prevalence in Patients and Implications for Rehabilitation

Orthopedic trauma is an unforeseen life-changing event. Serious injuries include multiple fractures and amputation. Physical rehabilitation has traditionally focused on addressing functional deficits after traumatic injury, but important psychological factors also can dramatically affect acute and long-term recovery. This review presents the effects of orthopedic trauma on psychological distress, potential interventions for distress reduction after trauma, and implications for participation in rehabilitation. Survivors commonly experience post-traumatic stress syndrome, depression, and anxiety, all of which interfere with functional gains and quality of life. More than 50% of survivors have psychological distress that can last decades after the physical injury has been treated. Early identification of patients with distress can help care teams provide the resources and support to offset the distress. Several options that help trauma patients navigate their short-term recovery include holistic approaches, pastoral care, coping skills, mindfulness, peer visitation, and educational resources. The long-term physical and mental health of the trauma survivor can be enhanced by strategies that connect the survivor to a network of people with similar experiences or injuries, facilitate support groups, and social support networking (The Trauma Survivors Network). Rehabilitation specialists can help optimize patient outcomes and quality of life by participating in and advocating these strategies.
Complications of primary and revision functional endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis

Objectives/Hypothesis The goal of this study was to determine the incidence of major complications following primary and revision functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). In addition, this study aimed to determine factors associated with the occurrence of complications including patient and provider characteristics and the use of image guidance system (IGS) technology. Study Design Retrospective cohort analysis of California and Florida all-payer databases from 2005 to 2008. Methods The rates of major surgical complications (skull base, orbital, and hemorrhagic) after primary and revision FESS were calculated, and bivariate analyses were performed to investigate relationships of complications with demographic and clinical characteristics. A multivariate model was used to determine risk factors for the occurrence of major complications. Results Among 78,944 primary FESS cases, 288 major complications were identified representing a complication rate of 0.36% (95% CI 0.32%–0.40%). The major complication rate following revision cases (n = 19; 0.46%) and primary cases (n = 288; 0.36%) was similar (OR = 1.26; 95% CI 0.79–2.00). Multivariate analysis showed that patients who were >40 years old, had a primary payer of Medicaid, had surgery involving the frontal sinus, or had image guidance during surgery were at higher risk for major complications. Conclusion The rate of major complications (0.36%) associated with primary FESS is lower than earlier reports. The rate of major complications following revision FESS (0.46%) was found to be similar to primary cases. IGS, insurance status, age, and extent of surgery were found to be associated with an increased risk of major complications following FESS. Level of Evidence 2C. Laryngoscope, 124:838–845, 2014
Effect of interhemispheric currents on equivalent ionospheric currents in two hemispheres: Simulation results

In this research, we used numerical simulation to study the effect of interhemispheric field-aligned currents (IHCs), going between two conjugate ionospheres in two hemispheres, on the equivalent ionospheric currents (EICs). We computed the maps of these EICs In two hemispheres during summer-winter conditions, when the effect of the IHCs is especially significant. The main results may be summarized as follows. In winter hemisphere, the IHCs may significantly exceed and be a substitute for the local R1 currents, and they may strongly affect the magnitude, location, and direction of the EICs In the nightside winter auroral ionosphere. While in summer polar cap the EICs tend to flow sunward, and in winter polar cap the EICs turn toward dawn due to the effect of the IHCs. The well-known reversal in the direction of the EICs in the vicinity of the midnight meridian, in winter hemisphere, is observed not at the polar caps boundary (as usually expected) but equatorward of this boundary in the region of the IHCs location. The IHCs in winter hemisphere may be, in fact, not only a substitute for the R1 currents but also the major source of the Westward Auroral Electrojet, observed In both hemispheres during substorm activity.
Revisiting Client/Server Computing

The role of the Information Technology department is changing as it continues to mature and adapt to changes in technology, much of that change dealing with its interaction with corporate end-users. IT departments must continue to move in a more user friendly direction or they are going to encounter serious political problems with top management. The increased interest in cloud computing, green computing, and in outsourcing are further indicators of the problems that IT departments are currently facing. Information Technology departments must approach client/server with a clear view of the lasting business benefits that it can bring rather than opposing or resisting the migration
A Normalized-Cut Alignment Model for Mapping Hierarchical Semantic Structures onto Spoken Documents

We propose a normalized-cut model for the problem of aligning a known hierarchical browsing structure, e.g., electronic slides of lecture recordings, with the sequential transcripts of the corresponding spoken documents, with the aim to help index and access the latter. This model optimizes a normalized-cut graph-partitioning criterion and considers local tree constraints at the same time. The experimental results show the advantage of this model over Viterbi-like, sequential alignment, under typical speech recognition errors.
GABAergic responses in ventrolateral medulla in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the GABA antagonist bicuculline methiodide were used to investigate the role of GABAergic transmission in the rostral and caudal ventrolateral medulla in 12- to 13-wk-old spontaneously hypertensive (SH) (n = 7) and normotensive, control Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) (n = 7) rats. Animals were anesthetized with urethan (1.25 g/kg sc), paralyzed with gallamine triethiodide (10 mg/kg iv), and artificially ventilated. Femoral arterial and venous catheters were inserted for the measurement of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate responses and for intravenous infusions. The ventral surface of the brain stem then was exposed. The responsiveness of the rostral ventrolateral medulla to GABA was compared in SH and WKY rats using unilateral microinjections (30 nl) of GABA at 1, 10, and 100 mM concentrations, which produced significantly (P less than 0.05) larger decreases of MAP in SH rats compared with WKY at the 10 and 100 mM concentrations (-37.3 +/- 2.8 mmHg for SH vs. -27.3 +/- 2.7 mmHg for WKY at 100 mM). Tonic GABAergic inhibition was gauged using bilateral microinjections (30 nl) of bicuculline (2 and 4 mM) into the rostral ventrolateral medulla, which caused significantly larger increases in MAP in the WKY group (+84.8 +/- 8.5 mmHg at 4 mM) compared with the SH group (+14.9 +/- 5.8 mmHg at 4 mM). In contrast, the ability to drive sympathetic outflow by microinjection of L-glutamate in the rostral ventrolateral medulla was not significantly different between WKY and SH rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Biosolar Conversion of N2 and H2O to Ammonia by Engineered N2-fixing Cyanobacteria

The cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 is capable of using solar energy to produce ammonia through conversion of atmospheric dinitrogen in differentiated cells called heterocysts. Harnessing this system could enable cyanobacteria to be used in ammoniafertilizer production, creating a renewable alternative to the current Haber-Bosch process. The genes patA and alr3304 in the Anabaena 7120 genome are important in heterocyst formation; an increase in heterocyst formation is seen with over-expression of patA or inactivation of alr3304. This research aims to create a novel mutant that forms more heterocysts by simultaneously over-expressing patA and inactivating alr3304, producing higher amounts of ammonia. These two genes were isolated using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification. The resulting amplicons were then inserted into pTOPO 2.1 vectors, creating pZR855 and pZR854, respectively. PatA was removed from pZR855 using enzymatic digestion and then ligated into pZR618 to create pZR856, which enabled the successful transformation of NEB 10-beta Escherichia coli competent cells with pZR856 and later plasmids. Plasmid pZR857 was created by fusing patA from pZR856 to the native Anabaena promoter PpsbA in pZR811. The 2.7kb fragment PpsbA-patA was inserted within alr3304 in pZR854 to create pZR858, thereby disrupting alr3304. PCR and sequencing were used to verify different stages of the plasmid constructions. Results from colony PCR and enzymatic digestion indicated that pZR858 was successfully created. Further progression in this research will potentially create a mutant strain of Anabaena 7120 that forms more heterocysts and therefore produces ammonia at a commercially viable level.
Mortgage in the Russian Federation in June 2013

In the first five months of 2013, 270108 mortgage housing loans (MHL) for the amount of Rb 435,071 bn were granted which is 12.41% and 24.86% higher than in 2012 as regards the number of the loans and their value in monetary terms, respectively. As of June 1, 2013, the outstanding debt on MHL rose by 34.91% as compared to June 1, 2012 and amounted to Rb 2,214 trillion. In 2013, the share of overdue debt in the outstanding debt on MHL in rubles decreased and amounted to 1.32% as of June 1, 2013, while that on loans in foreign currency increased within the same period to 12.15%. In May 2013, interest rates on MHL rose by 0.1 p.p. as compared to April; it is to be noted that the monthly average rate on loans in rubles amounted to 12.7%, while that on loans in foreign currency extended from the beginning of the year to 10.1%.
Fungal Communities in Soils Along an Elevation Gradient in Northern England

Soil samples were collected from six sites, along an elevation gradient in the northern Pennines, and soil microfungi were isolated using the soil washing method. Data on the abundance of soil fungi were analysed, using analysis of variance, factor analysis and discriminant analysis in order to detect trends that could be related to the gradient of environmental conditions. The analyses showed that these moorland soils had microfungal communities that shared both the characteristics of acid heathland soils and of true tundra soils. Many species had distinct distributions along the elevation gradient, Chrysosporium merdarium, Penicillium melinii, Paecilomyces carneus, Trichoderma hamatum, and Penicillium daleae being most abundant at lower elevations, whereas P. simplicissimum, P. canescens, P. spinulosum, T. viride, and P. lividum were most abundant at higher elevations. Whereas both multivariate methods revealed the seasonal and spatial trends in the data, discriminant
Pathology Manpower Needs in the Year 2000: The View From 1990

This article reviews the most important pathology manpower problems by focusing on the major segments of the manpower pipeline. Practitioners are retiring at an increasing rate. The number of newly trained pathologists available to fill vacancies is insufficient. Training program enrollments continue to decline. Trainee attrition is substantial, and significant barriers are blocking trainee recruitment efforts. The future of pathology will depend on how wisely we respond to these problems. Dr Vance is Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC. The majority of his research has been in cytopathology, autopsy, and in manpower recruitment and retention.
Raman-Assisted Fiber Optical Parametric Amplification (RAFOPA): Numerical Simulations and Experimental Results

We investigate theoretically and experimentally the RAOPA. Performances of amplification and wavelength conversion are discussed. We demonstrate several benefits compare to simple OPA, such as gain and bandwidth increase, spectrum tailoring and power distribution flexibility.
Health Insurance Trends in United States Living Kidney Donors (2004 to 2015)

Some transplant programs consider the lack of health insurance as a contraindication to living kidney donation. Still, prior studies have shown that many adults are uninsured at time of donation. We extend the study of donor health insurance status over a longer time period and examine associations between insurance status and relevant sociodemographic and health characteristics. We queried the United Network for Organ Sharing/Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network registry for all living kidney donors (LKDs) between July 2004 and July 2015. Of the 53 724 LKDs with known health insurance status, 8306 (16%) were uninsured at the time of donation. Younger (18 to 34 years old), male, minority, unemployed, less educated, unmarried LKDs and those who were smokers and normotensive were more likely to not have health insurance at the time of donation. Compared to those with no health risk factors (i.e. obesity, smoking, hypertension, estimated glomerular filtration rate <60, proteinuria) (14%), LKDs with 1 (18%) or ≥2 (21%) health risk factors at the time of donation were more likely to be uninsured (p < 0.0001). Among those with ≥2 health risk factors, blacks (28%) and Hispanics (27%) had higher likelihood of being uninsured compared to whites (19%; p < 0.001). Study findings underscore the importance of providing health insurance benefits to all previous and future LKDs.
Fluorinated Pyrimidines: XLIV. Interaction of 5-Trifluoromethyl-2'-deoxyuridine 5'-Triphosphate with Deoxyribonucleic Acid Polymerases

The interaction of 5-trifluoromethyl-2’-deoxyuridine 5’-triphosphate (F 3 dThd-59-PPP) with various DNA-directed DNA polymerases has been studied. This analogue exhibited competitive inhibition with dThd-59-PPP for partially purified DNA polymerases from vaccinia virus-infected HeLa cells, uninfected HeLa cell cytoplasm and nuclei, and calf thymus. The inhibition produce by F 3 dThd-59-PPP of the incorporation of deoxycytidine 59-triphosphate and deoxyadenosine 59-triphosphate was noncompetitive or mixed. The K m values for dThd-59-PPP of vaccinia virus-induced, HeLa cell cytoplasmic, HeLa cell nuclear, and calf thynmus DNA polymerases were 3.4, 4.6, 5.1, and 10 µM, respectively. The corresponding K i values of F 3 dThd-59-PPP for these enzymes were 4.0, 8.5, 11.5, and 17 µM. F 3 dThd-59-PPP was incorporated into DNA by all these DNA polymerases. This incorporation was inhibited competitively by dThd-59-PPP. The rates of F 3 dThd-59-PPP incorporation by these enzymes were slower than those of dThd-59-PPP. The ratio of the incorporation rate of the analogue to that of dThd-59-PPP was higher with vaccinia virus polymerase than with uninfected HeLa cell enzymes.
Object Detection and Delineation

As discussed in Chapter 1, much of the work on object detection and delineation relies heavily on a variety of assumptions about the scene, the objects in it, or the imaging process. Systems operating under these constraints are able to achieve reasonable performance on the limited class of imagery which obeys these assumptions. Unfortunately, such systems typically fail on imagery outside of the specific domain for which they were designed, and it is often unclear how the assumptions for these systems can be removed in a principled way to achieve improved performance on a wider set of imagery, without sacrificing performance in the original domain.
The Mechanisms of Global Relationships

We have seen already the effects that globalization, particularly economic globalization, has had on the role and functioning of states. It has had no less an effect on the international system. This is chiefly because the international system with which we have been familiar for the last two and a half centuries has been a system of states — it evolved with them, served their purposes and developed principles, practices and organizations which reflected the structure and needs of its basic participants. With this understanding, we can trace the development of international and diplomatic law, the rules and practice of diplomacy, the making and breaking of treaties, the regulation of warfare, the emergence of international legislation on cross-border administrative issues and eventually the creation of the major international institutions of our own time. In general, the construction and functioning of this system have been one of the major human achievements in history, the equal, if not even the superior, of the invention of the state itself.
Collaborative Librarianship: A Historical Sketch, an Appreciation and Thanks

Collaborative Librarianship moves to its next phase of development as new editors take the helm and the publishing platform moves from Open Journal Systems to the publishing suite of Digital Commons. The new home for management of the journal will be the University of Denver. Thus far, the journal has followed a path of development that has seen steady, impressive growth in readership and, while the geographical focus of the publication remains on the United States, participation of authors and readers has become world-wide. Following a historical sketch of the formation and early development of the journal, members of the team, past and present, are acknowledged and thanked.
Increasing the neurological-disease toolbox using iPSC-derived microglia

A new study presents a protocol to differentiate human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into microglia that closely resemble their in vivo counterparts. These cells offer an exciting new tool for learning more about the role of microglia in disease.
Microstructure Evolution of Laser Direct Metal Deposition of M2 High Speed Steel

In the current investigation, the M2 high speed steel (HSS) sample was produced by laser direct metal deposition (DMD) with a rapid manufacturing (AM) process. The overall microstructure analysed by light optical microscopy (LOM) was a gradual transition from bottom zone to top zone due to the continuous decrease of the cooling rate. The observed microstructure from SEM and XRD was consisted of a cellular or dendritic structure of ferrite, martensite, retained austenite and fine carbides. Annealing at 860 oC led to spheroidization of carbides. The carbides were examined by XRD to be M6C and MC. With prolonging the annealing holding time, the more homogenous microstructure could be acquired. These studies demonstrated that annealing can improve microstructures of M2 HSS produced by DMD.