cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Water environment risk prediction using Bayesian network

To improve better usage of water resources, risk prediction of water environment is crucial. Here, Bayesian network is applied to perform water environment risk prediction. In proposed approach, two steps are taken to choose the effective parameters in prediction. The proposed method is applied to water environment data in Nevada. Results show that the proposed method is effective for water environment risk prediction, and improvement of utilization of water resources.
Transmembrane Protein GDE2 Induces Motor Neuron Differentiation in Vivo

During neural development, coordinate regulation of cell-cycle exit and differentiation is essential for cell-fate specification, cell survival, and proper wiring of neuronal circuits. However, the molecules that direct these events remain poorly defined. In the developing spinal cord, the differentiation of motor neuron progenitors into postmitotic motor neurons is regulated by retinoid signaling. Here, we identify a retinoid-inducible gene, GDE2 (glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase 2), encoding a six-transmembrane protein that is necessary and sufficient to drive spinal motor neuron differentiation in vivo. A single amino acid mutation in the extracellular catalytic domain abolishes protein function. This reveals a critical role for glycerophosphodiester metabolism in motor neuron differentiation.
Industrial ecology: reflections on a colloquium.

Abstract Industrial ecology is the network of all industrial processes as they may interact with each other and live off each other, not only in the economic sense, but also in the sense of direct use of each other's material and energy wastes and products. This paper, which reflects upon the papers and discussions at the National Academy of Sciences Colloquium on Industrial Ecology on May 20-21, 1991, is structured around 10 questions. Do sociotechnical systems have long-range environmental goals? How is the concept of industrial ecology useful and timely? What are environmental technologies? Is there a systematic way to choose among alternatives for improving the ecology of technologies? What are ways to measure performance with respect to industrial ecology? What are the sources and rates of innovation in environmental technologies? How is the market economy performing with respect to industrial ecology? What will be the effect of the ecological modernization of the developed nations of the North on the developing countries of the South? How can creative interaction on environmental issues be fostered among diverse social groups? How must research and education change?
Spontaneous sigh rates during sedentary activity: watching television vs reading.

Background Spontaneous sighs are thought to play an important role in preventing atelectasis and in regulating airway tone. Recent studies have provided a mechanism by which expansion of the lungs could cause relaxation of smooth muscle. Objective To investigate breathing patterns during 2 forms of sedentary behavior: reading and watching television. Methods Breathing patterns were monitored for 1 to 2 hours to document respiratory rates and sigh rates. Each participant was monitored while reading and while watching a movie on videotape. During the first experiment (17 controls), metabolic rates were also measured. In the second experiment (18 controls and 9 patients with mild-to-moderate asthma), only breathing patterns were monitored. Results There were no significant differences in respiratory or metabolic rates between the 2 activities. In contrast, in the first experiment, 13 of 17 controls had lower sigh rates while watching a videotape than while reading ( P P P Conclusions Given that many children and adults watch television for 5 or more hours per day, breathing patterns during this time may be relevant to lung function. Our results demonstrate that prolonged periods of watching a videotape are associated with lower sigh rates than while reading. Further research is needed to determine whether these changes are relevant to increased bronchial reactivity.
Contribution of Evening Macronutrient Intake to Total Caloric Intake and Body Mass Index

The goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between sleep timing and macronutrient intake as an approach towards better understanding of how sleep and eating affect weight regulation. Fifty-two volunteers (25 women) completed 7 days of wrist actigraphy and food logs. "Average sleepers" (56%) were defined as having a midpoint of sleep <5:30 am and "late sleepers" (44%) were defined as having a midpoint of sleep ≥ 5:30 am. Data were analyzed using t-tests, correlations and regression. Late sleepers consumed a greater amount of protein fat and carbohydrates in the evening (defined as after 8:00 pm) but less fat in the 4 h before sleep. Total protein, protein, carbohydrate, and fat consumed after 8:00 pm, protein consumed within 4h of sleep as well as the percentage of fat consumed after 8:00 were associated with higher BMI. The amount of protein and carbohydrates consumed within 4h of sleep and the amount and percentage of carbohydrate and fat consumed after 8:00 pm were associated with greater total calories. In multivariate analyses controlling for age, gender, sleep timing and duration, protein consumed 4 h before sleep was associated with BMI; carbohydrates consumed after 8 pm, protein and carbohydrates consumed 4h before sleep were associated with higher total calories. Results indicate that evening intake of macronutrients and intake before sleep are not synonymous, particularly among late sleepers. Eating in the evening or before sleep may predispose individuals to weight gain through higher total calories.
Women in Academic Dermatology: Results of Survey From the Professors of Dermatology

Background: A survey of the professors of dermatology addressed questions of recruitment and retainment of women in academic dermatology. One hundred thirteen questionnaires were distributed and tabulated anonymously. Results: Most programs selected residents independent of gender. No gender-specific residency problems were identified other than clinical coverage and completion of training related to pregnancy and maternity leave. Less than 50% of departments have faculty development programs in place, though there was considerable support for faculty development programs and modification of tenure track. The number of women faculty was determined for all departmental faculty. Of the total faculty members, 28.1% were women. Of the paid faculty members, 30.7% were women compared with 24.8% of unpaid faculty members. For paid faculty, 10.7% of full professors were women, compared with 34.1% of associate professors and 38.1% of assistant professors. Only two department chairs were identified as women, though five additional women headed divisions. Conclusions: With regard to residency training, any problems appear to be reflections of anecdotal experience. With regard to faculty, this datum argues for barriers to advancement to positions with administrative responsibility. Strategies for increasing the number of women in senior positions will depend on recognition and encouragement of current women faculty and require a concerted effort to further professional growth and development, to reward academic success, to provide role models and mentors, and to recognize inherent conflicts of professional women. (Arch Dermatol. 1994;130:1131-1135)
Ultrastructure of macrogametogenesis of Eimeria mivati

The development of the macrogamete of Eimeria mivati Edgar and Seibold 1964 was studied with the electron microscope. Development of the young gamont was characterized by a loss of organelles such as the apical complex, subpellicular microtubules, rhoptries and micronemes, followed by an increase in micropores, mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER), and Golgi complexes. Nuclear detachment bodies and canaliculi were present in maturing macrogamonts. Amylopectin was first observed as small electron-dense rod-like bodies that eventually became large electron-transparent bodies. Type II wall-forming bodies developed in the cisternae of the rER. Type I wall-forming bodies appeared shortly thereafter in close association with numerous Golgi complexes. Many small vesicles located between the cisternae of the rER and the Golgi complexes formed what appeared to be a secretory pathway whereby protein formed in the cisternae and, modified by the Golgi complex, may produce the type I wall body material. The outer wall of the oocyst developed between two distal membranes on the surface of the macrogamete. Although the actual mechanism of deposition of the wall material was not seen, it was probably by some secretory process. Wall-forming bodies did not fuse.
Conservative management of an elderly patient with Eisenmenger syndrome.

Abstract Background Eisenmenger syndrome (ES) in the adult population has become exceedingly rare in developed countries owing to better recognition and treatment of congenital malformations of the heart. In the absence of transplantation, most patients survive an average of 20–30 years before succumbing to the cardiovascular and hemostatic sequelae. We present a rare case of an elderly woman with ES secondary to an uncorrected atrial-septum defect. She continues to have a high functional capacity despite impressive hemodynamic parameters. Case A 69-year-old woman with ES presented to our facility with atrial fibrillation and volume overload. She has a known sinus venosus atrial septal defect and associated severe pulmonary hypertension. She was managed conservatively and discharged on bosentan given her intricate physiology. Conclusion Given the similarity of the pathology with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) and ES, drugs that are usually reserved for IPAH such as prostanoids and phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors may be beneficial in the management of ES. This case highlights that with our improving understanding of ES, non-operative management may have an expanding role in the care of these complex patients. Learning objective: Advanced therapy for Eisenmenger syndrome (ES) is geared toward the endothelin-1 mediated pulmonary arterial plexus. Given the similarity of the pathology with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) and ES, drugs that are usually reserved for IPAH such as prostanoids and phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors may be beneficial in the management of ES. Conservative management can achieve a favorable outcome, even in elderly patients with advanced disease.>
Pull systems with advance demand information

This paper investigates the benefits of integrating advance demand information (ADI) with pull-kanban type production and inventory control systems (PICS). Since efficient analytical models for performance evaluation studies of these systems are unavailable, we use simulation experiments for the study. In particular, we investigate the impact of several PICS design parameters such as kanban card limits, target finished goods inventory levels, amount of demand information available, and the quality of ADI on performance measures such as system throughput, inventory holding costs and customer service levels. Our study shows that in many situations, integrating ADI with pull systems provides opportunities for efficiencies that might be significantly greater that that available using pull systems alone. Further more, we show that the performance of systems operating under pull-type PICS with ADI could be fairly robust to the quality of information being shared.
Relative growth of the limbs and trunk in the African apes

Examination of relative growth and allometry is important for our understanding of the African apes, as they represent a closely related group of species of increasing body size. This study presents a comparison of ontogenetic relative growth patterns of some postcranial dimensions in Pan paniscus, Pan troglodytes, and Gorilla gorilla. Interspecific proportion differences among the three species are also analyzed. It is stressed that reliable ontogenetic information can only be obtained if subadults are examined-growth data cannot be inferred from static adult scaling. Results indicate that some postcranial relative growth patterns are very similar in the three species, suggesting differential extrapolation of a common growth pattern, whereas for other proportion comparisons the growth trends differ markedly among the species, producing distinct shape differences in the adults. Interspecific shape changes among the three species are characterized by positive allometry of chest girth and negative allometry of body height and leg length. It is suggested that relative decrease of leg length with increasing body size among the African pongids might be expected on biomechanical grounds, in quadrupedal terrestrialism. Relative to body weight or trunk length, the limbs of the bonobo (Pan paniscus) are longer than in the common chimpanzee or the gorilla, with a lower intermembral index. This may most closely resemble the primitive condition for the African apes.
Salvage Treatment of Failed Hallux Valgus Operations with Proximal First Metatarsal Osteotomy and Distal Soft-Tissue Reconstruction

We reviewed the results of 15 patients (16 feet) in whom a hallux valgus procedure had failed. Salvage was by proximal crescentic first metatarsal osteotomy with distal soft-tissue reconstruction. Results based on a clinical scale considering the level of pain, activity limitations, support requirement, footwear limitations, and alignment were good in 11, fair in two, and poor in three. Patients were satisfied with the results in 10 feet, satisfied with reservations in four feet, and dissatisfied in two feet. Complications were: transfer metatarsalgia in three, hallux varus in one, and osteotomy nonunion in one. One of the patients required reoperation to bone graft a proximal osteotomy. Metatarsal osteotomy was helpful in the salvage treatment of recurrent, symptomatic hallux valgus when the first metatarsophalangeal joint was functional and painless.
De Doha à Copenhague : le crépuscule des négociations multilatérales ?

Les negociations sur le commerce, ou l’environnement, articulent plusieurs niveaux : ensemble des membres, groupe representatif d’Etats, groupe reduit de pays cles, couple decisif de deux joueurs majeurs. Ce montage est remis en cause par de nouveaux rapports de force mondiaux, le decalage entre le temps court politique et le temps long des negociations, le poids nouveau des facteurs internes. Occasion, sans doute, de revoir l’architecture des negociations, et la place de l’UE ou de l’ONU. politique etrangere
Seeing chordate evolution through the Ciona genome sequence

A draft sequence of the compact genome of the sea squirt Ciona intestinalis, a non-vertebrate chordate that diverged very early from other chordates, including vertebrates, illuminates how chordates originated and how vertebrate developmental innovations evolved.
SOME OBSERVATIONS OF CURRENTS IN THE HYPOLIMNION OF LAKE MENDOTA

Observations of hypolimnetic currents in Lake Mendota, intcgratcd over entire seiche periods, indicate that steady motions exist below the thermocline. Seiche currents and turbulcncc are shown to bc insufficient to explain the observed currents. Hutchinson ( 1957, p, 287, p, 341) has suggested that deep water currents, at least in medium-sized stratified lakes, are primarily due to internal seiches. He also quotes Mortimer ( 1953) to the same effect. On the basis of the small amount of hublished data on the observed currents below the thermocline and the fact that both the usual “surface” seiche and the internal seiche must involve readjustment of mass distribution throughout the entire lake, such a conclusion might be reached on theoretical grounds. It is the purpose of this paper to examine the role of the seiche in producing hypolimnetic currents utilizing statistical data on such currents observed in Lake Mendota. THE OBSERVED CURRENTS IN LAKE MENDOTA During the past 10 years, about 2,000 current observations have been made in Lake Mendota. All were made by the “free drag” method, i.e., by observing the displacement of a vane or drag suspended at the desired depth and allowed to drift with the current. This method, which may be used to obtain currents integrated over any time interval desired, is more sensitive to small current velocities than the finest propeller type current meters. The bulk of the current measurements made in Lake Mendota1 are summarized in Figure 1. Most of these data were obtained with “drags” half a meter square, and so indicate the mean current in a layer 0.5 m thick centered at the indicated depth from the surface. In the 34 cases indicated for the 1 Data from the entire lake arc included, though most are from the southwestern portion. layer O-O.25 m, drags both 25 cm and 10 cm high were used. As might be expected, the mean and modal velocities at the surface of the lake are larger than at a depth of 1 m as indicated when the data from the O-O.25 m and O-O.5 m layers are compared to those at 1 m. (Table 1.) Surprisingly, the currents at 2 m do, not fit the general pattern of decreasing mean with increasing depth. Furthermore, the number of currents in the interval O-O.99 cm/set might be expected to increase with depth, and generally does except for the striking anomaly of the 2-m depth. Thcsc features suggest some cause other than the usual wind drift explanation of the nearsurface currents, possibly a larger than expected role of that level in the seiche circulation. Most of these current measurements were made in midsummer when the thermocline is generally at a depth of 5 to 8 m and generally less than 10 m. Thus, the data from 10 m are largely for currents within the hypolimnion, while for greater depths there TABLE 1. Mean and modal velocities for currents in Lake Mendota Depth MC%11 Mode Number cm/see cm/set of c.?ses O-O.25 m 9.36 6-7 (10-11) 34 O-O.5 m 5.93 4-5 107 0.75-1.25 m 4.48 1-2 583 1.75-2.25 m 4.71 3-4 ( l-2) 367 4.75-5.25 m 3.23 l-2 255 9.75-10.25 m 2.78 2-3 248 14.75-15.25 m 1.67 o-1 26 19.75-20.25 m 7.7 not dcfincd 10
A machine learning based scheme for double JPEG compression detection

Double JPEG compression detection is of significance in digital forensics. We propose an effective machine learning based scheme to distinguish between double and single JPEG compressed images. Firstly, difference JPEG 2D arrays, i.e., the difference between the magnitude of JPEG coefficient 2D array of a given JPEG image and its shifted versions along various directions, are used to enhance double JPEG compression artifacts. Markov random process is then applied to modeling difference 2-D arrays so as to utilize the second-order statistics. In addition, a thresholding technique is used to reduce the size of the transition probability matrices, which characterize the Markov random processes. All elements of these matrices are collected as features for double JPEG compression detection. The support vector machine is employed as the classifier. Experiments have demonstrated that our proposed scheme has outperformed the prior arts.
MECHANICAL RESPONSES OF A CRUSTACEAN SLOW MUSCLE

SUMMARY 1. Mechanical properties of the abdominal ventral superficial muscle of the hermit crab, Pagurus pollicarus, were examined under isometric and iso-velocity conditions. The muscle was activated by stimulating its motor nerve at different frequencies. 2. Length-isometric tension relations were measured. Peak tension, Po, was 0'16-0'2MNm" 2 and the sarcomere length of the muscle at the optimum length, Lo, was 10-8+ 1*0 fim. Passive tension was high at Lo. Correlated measurements of the operating length of the muscle and Lo indicate that the operating length is at a point on the ascending limb of the length-tension curve approximately 0-77 Lo. 3. The relationship between activation level of the muscle and the lengthtension relation indicates that the curve is not substantially displaced along the length axis by increasing activation level; increased force is primarily due to an increase in the slope of the ascending limb of the curve. 4. The force-velocity relation was obtained by measuring the force at a reference length during iso-velocity shortening of an active muscle. Hill constants of a/Po = 0-11 + 0 - 02and b = 1-07 + 0*24 mm s" 1 were obtained. The maximum velocity of shortening per half sarcomere was approximately 4-2/ims" 1 . 5. Stretch of an active muscle did not produce an abrupt short range yield but a gradual transition between short range and terminal stiffness. This behaviour is shown to be due not to differences in cross bridge stiffness between VSM and other muscle but to a non cross bridge stiffness with a value that is one-fifth that of vertebrate muscle. 6. Such a low stiffness may provide an intrinsic mechanism for simplifying load compensation in the absence of rapid proprioceptive reflexes for the control of muscle stiffness.
Slide Composition for Electronic Presentations

Instructors who use computer-generated graphics in their lectures have many options to consider when developing their presentations. Experts give different advice on which typefaces, background and letter colors, and background imagery improve communications. This study attempted to resolve these controversies by examining how short-term recall of presented information is affected by the choice of Times Roman or Helvetica typefaces, by the use of positive type (light-colored backgrounds and dark-colored letters) or reverse type (dark-colored backgrounds and light-colored letters), and by the addition of complex background images. One hundred and fifty-eight students viewed presentations on negotiation skills and answered questions about each presentation. Neither typefaces nor type significantly affected short-term recall of presented information. Complex backgrounds in slides tended to reduce short-term recall. If instructors use computer-generated slides that are less visually complex, they can help stu...
Genome-Wide Linkage Analysis for Loci Affecting Pulse Pressure. The Family Blood Pressure Program

Pulse pressure, the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure, is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Increased pulse pressure reflects reduced compliance of arteries and is a marker of atherosclerosis. To locate genes that affect pulse pressure, a genome-wide linkage scan for quantitative trait loci influencing pulse pressure was performed using variance components methods as implemented in sequential oligogenic linkage analysis routines. The analysis sample included 10 798 participants in 3320 families who were recruited as part of the Family Blood Pressure Program and were phenotyped with an oscillometric blood pressure measurement device using a consistent protocol across centers. Pulse pressure was adjusted for the effects of sex, age, age 2 , age-by-sex interaction, age 2 -by-sex interaction, body mass index, and field center to remove sources of variation other than the genetic effects related to pulse pressure. Significant linkage was observed on chromosome 18 (logarithm of odds (LOD)3.2) in a combined racial sample, chromosome 20 (LOD4.4), and 17 (LOD3.6) in Hispanics, chromosome 21 (LOD4.3) in whites, chromosome 19 (LOD3.1) in a combined sample of blacks and whites, and chromosome 7 (logarithm of odds (LOD)3.1) in blacks from the GenNet Network. Our genome scan shows significant evidence for linkage for pulse pressure in multiple areas of the genome, supporting previous published linkage studies. The identification of these loci for pulse pressure and the apparent congruence with other blood pressure phenotypes provide increased support that these regions contain genes influencing blood pressure phenotypes. (Hypertension. 2005;46:1286-1293.)
The relative influence of urban form on a child’s travel mode to school

Walking and bicycling to school has decreased in recent years, while private vehicle travel has increased. Policies and programs focusing on urban form improvements such as Safe Routes to School were created to address this mode shift and possible related children’s health issues, despite minimal research showing the influence of urban form on children’s travel and health. This research examined: (1) the influence of objectively measured urban form on travel mode to school and; (2) the magnitude of influence urban form and non-urban form factors have on children’s travel behavior. The results of the analysis support the hypothesis that urban form is important but not the sole factor that influences school travel mode choice. Other factors may be equally important such as perceptions of neighborhood safety and traffic safety, household transportation options, and social/cultural norms. Odds ratios indicate that the magnitude of influence of these latter factors is greater than that of urban form; however, model improvement tests found that urban form contributed significantly to model fit. This research provides evidence that urban form is an influential factor in non-motorized travel behavior and therefore is a possible intervention to target through programs such as Safe Routes to School.
Complicated Conversations: Exploring Race and Ideology in an Elementary Classroom

This is a case study of an elementary teacher's decision to add multicultural children's books to her curriculum and an analysis of how her ideologies about race shaped the classroom discourse. Although the teacher's stated purpose was to teach the pitfalls of racial stereotypes by encouraging conversations about prejudice, often the classroom talk normalized Whiteness in ways that shut down explorations of racial diversity, power, and oppression. This article describes how multicultural literature is used in an upper elementary classroom to supplement the existing curriculum and how a teacher's beliefs about race are present in the resulting discourse.
Cigarette smoke induces nuclear translocation of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) in prostate cancer cells: Nuclear HO-1 promotes vascular endothelial growth factor secretion

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of male-cancer related death in the United States. Despite a number of evidence-based studies which strongly suggest an association between cigarette smoking and prostate cancer, the underlying biological mechanism is largely unknown. Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) has been implicated in maintaining cellular homeostasis, but also in tumor angiogenesis. Nuclear HO-1 protein expression has been observed in various types of tumors including prostate cancer. These studies, however, were reported as clinical and pathological observations, and failed to investigate nuclear HO-1 at the molecular level in cancer. The present study explores the relationship between cigarette smoke and nuclear HO-1-modulated promotion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion. We have demonstrated that cigarette smoke medium (SM)-induced HO-1 mRNA expression and upregulated HO-1 protein levels in the prostate cancer cell lines DU145 and PC3. We also observed that SM significantly induced nuclear expression of HO-1, and enhanced secretion of VEGF in cells. Nuclear-directed expression of HO-1 activated the transcriptional activity of VEGF and promoted VEGF secretion in prostate cancer cells. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanism by which cigarette smoke-induced nuclear translocation of HO-1 promotes VEGF secretion in prostate cancer cells. Nuclear HO-1 may, therefore, constitute an attractive therapeutic target to inhibit angiogenesis and the progression of prostate cancer.
Body mass index is associated with the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Background: The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is unknown. Methods: A cohort study of critically ill patients at risk for ARDS was carried out. BMI was calculated from admission height and weight. Patients were screened daily for AECC (American European Consensus Committee)-defined ARDS and 60-day ARDS mortality. Results: Of 1795 patients, 83 (5%) patients were underweight (BMI ,18.5 kg/m 2 ), 627 (35%) normal (BMI 18.5–24.9), 605 (34%) overweight (BMI 25–29.9), 364 (20%) obese (BMI 30–39.9) and 116 (6%) severely obese (BMI >40). Increasing weight was associated with younger age (p,0.001), diabetes (p,0.0001), higher blood glucose (p,0.0001), lower prevalence of direct pulmonary injury (p,0.0001) and later development of ARDS (p = 0.01). BMI was associated with ARDS on multivariate analysis (ORadj 1.24 per SD increase; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.39). Similarly, obesity was associated with ARDS compared with normal weight (ORadj 1.66; 95% CI 1.21 to 2.28 for obese; ORadj 1.78; 95% CI 1.12 to 2.92 for severely obese). Exploratory analysis in a subgroup of intubated patients without ARDS on admission (n = 1045) found that obese patients received higher peak (p,0.0001) and positive end-expiratory pressures (p,0.0001) than non-obese patients. Among patients with ARDS, increasing BMI was associated with increased length of stay (p = 0.007) but not with mortality (ORadj 0.89 per SD increase; 95% CI 0.71 to 1.12). Conclusion: BMI was associated with increased risk of ARDS in a weight-dependent manner and with increased length of stay, but not with mortality. Additional studies are needed to determine whether differences in initial ventilator settings may contribute to ARDS development in the obese.
Long-Term Stability Of Ethnocentric Consumer Attitudes

This research conducts the first cohort longitudinal study of the CETSCALE. Data collected in surveys of Business Administration students in 2000, and the fall of 2005 and winter of 2006 are analyzed to determine whether the ethnocentric attitudes of consumers have changed. Nonnormal distribution of the data due to kurtosis and severe skewness complicate confirmatory factor analysis, necessitating a three-phased effort to obtain an acceptable construct. The results indicate that although the mean CETSCALE score decreased two points (from 45.2 to 43.2), the change was not significant at p = 0.05. This research also confirms that the CETSCALE remains a highly reliable survey instrument, with Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.94 and Composite Reliability of 0.93. Implications of this study for practitioners and the future study of consumer attitudes toward the purchase of imported products are also addressed.
Computing vibrational properties in hydrogen‐bonded systems using quantum wavepacket ab initio molecular dynamics

The recently developed quantum wavepacket ab initio molecular dynamics method is discussed. The approach combines quantum wavepacket dynamics with ab initio molecular dynamics and is useful in studying problems where nuclear quantum effects play an important role. Computational bottlenecks and associated solutions are outlined. Chemical applications dealing with vibrational properties in hydrogen-bonded clusters are discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009
New results in 2-D systems theory, part I: 2-D polynomial matrices, factorization, and coprimeness

During recent years, linear system theory has intensively been applied in estimation and control. At the same time, image processing has attracted increasing interest and attempts have been made to extend the techniques of systems theory to multidimensional problems, among others, by Bose, Attasi, Givone and Roesser, and Mitra. Part I of our results is centered around polynomial descriptions of systems. The notion of minimality in connection with state space requires the concept of coprimeness of 2-D polynomial matrices. For this purpose, we have extended the existing 1-D results on greatest common right divisor (GCRD) extraction, Sylvester resultants, matrix fraction descriptions (MFD) to the 2-D case. In addition we have results that appear to be unique for multidimensional problems such as existence and uniqueness of so-called "primitive factorizations" and existence of general factorizations. Part II will appear in a companion paper presenting results on a comparison between the different state space models that have been proposed, using what we consider to be proper definitions of state, controllability and observability and their relation to minimality of 2-D systems. We also represent new implementations of 2-D transfer functions using a minimal number of dynamic elements.
The beetle family Carabidae of Costa Rica: The genera of the Cryptobatida group of subtribe Agrina, tribe Lebiini, with new species and notes on their way of life (Insecta: Coleoptera)

Eight genera and eighteen species of the Cryptobatida group of subtribe Agrina, Lebiini, living in Costa Rica are diagnosed, described, illustrated or referenced and new species assigned to inclusive genera. Occurrences of some taxa outside of Costa Rica are also reported, these ranging from Texas to Argentina. Subtribe Agrina consists of those species formerly included in the Subtribe Calleidina. Four new species of Aspasiola Chaudoir 1877 are described: A. bonita Erwin, n. sp. (COSTA RICA. PUNTARENAS, Peninsula de Osa, P.N. Corcovado, Estaci n Sirena, 0 100 m, 08 28' 0 N, 083 35' 0 W, LS270500, 508300), A. osa Erwin, n. sp. (COSTA RICA. PUNTARENAS, Peninsula de Osa, P.N. Corcovado, Estaci n Sirena, upper Ollas Trail, 30 150 m, 08 29' 00 N, 083 34' 39 W), A. selva Erwin, n. sp. (COSTA RICA. HEREDIA, Estaci n Biol gica La Selva, 3.0 km S Puerto Viejo, Finca La Selva, 50 150 m, 10 25' 55 N, 084 00' 32 W, LN535500, 268000), A. steineri Erwin n. sp. (COSTA RICA. HEREDIA, Estaci n Biol gica La Selva, 3.0 km S Puerto Viejo, Finca La Selva, 50 150 m, 10 25' 55 N, 084 00' 32 W, LN535500, 268000). Two new species of Hyboptera Chaudoir 1872 are described: H. apollonia Erwin n. sp. (PANAM , COL N, Porto Bello, 113 m, 09 33' 0 N, 079 39' 0 W), H. auxiliadora Erwin n. sp. (USA. TEXAS, Hidalgo County, Mission; Bentsen State Park, 26 10' 22" N, 098 22' 56" W). Alkestis Liebke 1939 is a nomen dubium and possible junior synonym of Lelis Chaudoir 1869. Aspasiola rutilans ignea Bates 1883 is changed to full species, Aspasiola ignea Bates new status. Pseudolebia Basilewsky 1942 is NOT a synonym of Onota Chaudoir 1872. Pseudometabletus Liebke 1930 is a junior synonym of Cylindronotum Putzeys 1846. Pseudotoglossa rufitarsis nigrescens Mateu 1961:177 is a junior synonym of Pseudotoglossa terminalis (Chaudoir). An identification key is provided to the genera of the Cryptobatida Group and additional keys are provided for those genera with more than one species occurring in Costa Rica. Distribution data is provided for all species including their known occurrence outside of Costa Rica in adjacent Panam and Nicaragua, and other countries. Adults of species of Aspasiola, Cryptobatis, Otoglossa and Hyboptera are known to occur on shelf fungi on rotting logs and have also been fogged from the canopy of tropical trees (which probably contained shelf fungi on dead branches); adults of species of Cylindronotum, Onota, Pseudotoglossa, Valeriaaschero have also been fogged from the canopy of tropical trees and likely adults of Onota and Pseudotoglossa collected from rotten logs were associated with fungi.
Spinal subdural hematoma following lumbar decompressive surgery: a report of two cases.

Spinal subdural hematoma (SSDH) following spine surgery is an extremely rare condition, with only three cases being reported in the literature. Unintended durotomy has been associated with SSDH due to alterations of pressures in the dural compartments. The objective of the present report was to report two rare cases of acute SSDH developed after lumbar decompressive surgery. In one of the patients, the diagnosis of SSDH was followed by urgent hematoma evacuation via durotomy due to the patient’s worsening neurological symptoms. In the second patient, the SSDH was treated conservatively due to the absence of severe or progressive motor or sensory deficits. In conclusion, emergency evacuation via durotomy is the treatment of choice for patients with SSDH and neurologic impairment. Conservative management may be indicated in selected cases with absent motor and sensory deficits.
ASP at Work: An ASP Implementation of PhyloWS

This paper continues the exploration started in [Bininda-Emonds,2004], aimed at demonstrating the use of logic programming technology to support a large scale deployment and analysis of phylogenetic data from biological studies. This application paper illustrates the use of ASP technology in implementing the PhyloWS web service API — a recently proposed and community-agreed standard API to enable uniform access and inter-operation among phylogenetic applications and repositories. To date, only very incomplete implementations of PhyloWS have been realized; this paper demonstrates how ASP provides an ideal technology to support a more comprehensive realization of PhyloWS on a repository of semantically-described phylogenetic studies. The paper also presents a challenge for the developers of ASP-solvers.
A Patient Follow-up Program for Short-Term Surgical Mission Trips to a Developing Country

Background: We describe a follow-up program for patients undergoing surgical procedures with documented results from short-term surgical mission trips to the developing world. The surgical procedures were all performed at a government hospital in Pucallpa, Peru, a remote city in the Amazon. Methods: Between July 2007 and January 2012, ten surgical mission trips were completed with a mean time of six days on location and a mean number of 2.3 surgeons (range, two to five surgeons) per trip. A Peruvian general surgeon conducted postoperative visits at time intervals of two to four weeks, five to sixteen weeks, four to seven months, and eight to twelve months. Each visit included the completion of a patient outcome form, radiographs, and functional range-of-motion photographs. Patient demographic characteristics; type of surgical procedure; completed follow-up; complications including infection, malunion, or nonunion; and clinical results were analyzed. Results: Of the 127 patients eligible for analysis, twenty-three patients were lost to follow-up, leaving a follow-up rate of 81.9% (104 of 127 patients). Patients were predominantly male (63.5%) and had a mean age of 37.0 years (range, ten months to 93.4 years). The mean length of follow-up was 11.8 months, with a mean number of 3.7 postoperative encounters. Orthopaedic trauma fixation was the predominant surgical procedure (57%), with forty-two procedures (40%) being open reduction and internal fixation. In the 104 patients, successful wound-healing occurred in 101 (97%) and 100 (96%) had a functional outcome deemed to be good or fair by the in-country physician. The infection rate was 2.9% (three patients), with 97% (fifty-seven of fifty-nine) of fractures united. There was one nerve injury in a pediatric patient treated for supracondylar humeral malunion, and two cases of prominent implant necessitating removal. The mean direct cost of the follow-up program was $20,041 in U.S. dollars per year. Conclusions: It is possible to develop a sustainable surgical patient follow-up program with robust results and to achieve acceptable outcomes for orthopaedic conditions, even in an austere medical environment. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Generalized Droz-Farny Transversals

(1965). Generalized Droz-Farny Transversals. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 72, No. 7, pp. 718-725.
Theory of x-ray scattering in high-pressure electrides

We report on a theoretical model for the calculation of x-ray scattering from high-pressure electrides. By treating interstitial electrons as effective anions forming a sublattice within the crystal, we explicitly account for Bragg reflections from the sublattice as well as for scattering interferences between the ion lattice and the anion sublattice. The additional reflections and interferences lead to significant modifications of the static structure factor as compared to the pure lattices. Our results are important for accurate calculations of material properties in the high-pressure phase and allow for direct experimental verification of electride phases in matter at ultrahigh pressures through angle-resolved x-ray scattering.
Protein and Dry-Matter Degradability of European- and Mediterranean-Derived Birdsfoot Trefoil Cultivars Grown in the Colder Continental USA

Recent work suggests several European- and Mediterranean-derived cultivars of birdsfoot trefoil (BFT, L.) are well adapted to the colder continental United States and produce forage with greater condensed tannin (CT) concentrations, but comparable neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and slightly lower crude-protein (CP) concentrations than the commonly grown cultivar Norcen. In the current study, thirteen of these foreign-derived cultivars and Norcen were harvested under two- or three-cut management during 2006 in Michigan, Utah, Wisconsin, and West Virginia and analyzed in vitro for rumen degradable and undegradable protein on a CP and dry-matter (DM) basis (RDP, RDP, and RUP) and for rumen degradable and true degradable DM (RDDM and TDDM). Foreign-derived cultivars usually produced forage with greater RUP and lower RDP, RDP, RDDM, and TDDM than Norcen. The low NDF cultivar Bokor uniquely combined high CT and RUP with high TDDM. The highest yielding cultivar Lotar also produced herbage with moderate to high CT, RUP, and TDDM. Concentrations of CT and CP influenced RDP, RDP, and RDDM, while CT affected RUP, and fiber components influenced TDDM; relationships were greatly influenced by growth environment. Reductions in RDP exceeded gains in RUP as CT increased, thus, feeding of high-CT cultivars could mainly curb urinary N excretion from excess RDP rather than boost amino acid supply from potentially digestible RUP. Additional work is needed to improve the nutritional consistency of harvested BFT across environments and to develop higher-yielding cultivars with optimal RDP and RUP and high TDDM for maximizing livestock performance.
Optimal use of epoetin-alpha in the anaemia of chronic renal failure.

Anaemia, a major feature of chronic renal failure, is responsible for a significant proportion of the multisystemic disabling symptoms in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). Anaemia correction with recombinant human erythropoietin (epoetin-α) often leads to significant amelioration of these symptoms.
The relationships between blood haemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume and plasma protein concentration in dehydration.

SUMMARY The mathematical relationships between the volume and composition of blood and plasma have been reviewed. It has been shown that misunderstanding of these relationships can lead to misinterpretation of results. In a review of published data on plasma protein concentration (PP) and packed cell volume (PCV) during dehydration, the expected greater increase in plasma protein concentration was usually observed. Unexpected values were explained by a variety of factors affecting PCV and PP. Discrepancies between plasma volume changes calculated from PP or PCV and blood haemoglobin concentration can provide useful information. Changes in mean corpuscular volume were inversely related to changes in plasma osmolality. In dehydrated animals, accurate interpretation of data is often limited by the lack of predisease baseline values.
In vivo imaging and quantification of oxygen tension within solid tumor.

e23154Background: The tumor microenvironment plays a critical role in regulating cancer cell survival, proliferation, and invasiveness. It also acts as key driver in promoting tumor-mediated evasio...
Martin Greenberg, The Terror of Art. Kafka and Modern Literature: New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1968. Pp. ix+241

(1970). Martin Greenberg, The Terror of Art. Kafka and Modern Literature. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. 70-74.
A reliable virtual backbone scheme in mobile ad-hoc networks

In wireless ad-hoc networks, hosts communicate with each other without help of any physical infrastructure. Inevitably, the communication tends to be inefficient in terms of computational and network resources. Study on virtual infrastructures or backbones in wireless ad-hoc networks gets more attention in the hope of reducing the communication overhead. But the backbone structure is very vulnerable due to various factors like node mobility, unstable links, and so on. So a new scheme which is reliable and efficient both to construct and maintain the backbone structure is needed. We present our noble virtual backbone scheme which is reliable and efficient by considering stability and coverage of nodes.
Nonlinear Common Vectors for pattern classification

The Common Vector (CV) method is a linear method, which allows to discriminate between classes of data sets, such as those arising in image and word recognition. In this paper a variation of this method is introduced for finding the projection vectors of each class as elements of the intersection of the null space of that class' covariance matrix and the range space of the covariance matrix of the pooled data. Then, a novel approach is proposed to apply the method in a nonlinearly mapped higher-dimensional feature space. In this approach, all samples are mapped to a higher-dimensional feature space using a kernel mapping, and then the modified CV method is applied in the transformed space. As a result, each class gives rise to a unique common vector. This approach guarantees a 100% recognition rate for the samples of the training set. Moreover, experiments with several test cases also show that the generalization ability of the proposed method is superior to the kernel-based nonlinear subspace method.
Neuropsychological impairment-associated visual field deficits in HIV infection. HNRC Group. HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center.

PURPOSE. To examine the relationship between loss in peripheral visual sensitivity and neuropsychological functioning in seropositive patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) without infectious retinopathy. METHODS. Subjects carefully screened for retinal disease and well-matched across demographic and medical variables were grouped according to normal (perimetry-nl) versus abnormal (perimetry-abnl) performance on achromatic automated perimetry and short-wavelength automated perimetry, standard clinical ophthalmologic measures of visual function. All subjects completed a detailed neuropsychological test battery and were classified as impaired or unimpaired, globally and across eight neurocognitive domains. Subjects were also classified according to whether they met diagnostic criteria for minor cognitive/motor disorder (MCMD) or HIV-associated dementia (HAD). RESULTS. Visual field loss was associated with lower performance in the abstraction, perceptual-motor, learning, and motor domains. Significant group differences were also found on numerous individual neuropsychological tests. Based on clinical ratings, we found deficits in learning and motor functioning. No perimetry-nl subjects met criteria for MCMD or HAD, whereas 32% of perimetry-abnl subjects met diagnostic criteria for syndromic cognitive disorders (five MCMD and one HAD). In a subset of subjects who underwent a lumbar puncture, there was a trend for the perimetry-abnl group to have a higher concentration of β 2 microglobulin, a marker for central nervous system immune activation. CONCLUSIONS. These results suggest that in some HIV-infected people reduced visual function may be caused by nonretinal disease, and perimetry may present a sensitive measure of HIV-related brain dysfunction.