cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the interaction of Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxixn (STa) with its intestinal putative receptor in various age groups of mice, using flow cytometry and binding assays.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin (STa) is a major cause of diarrhea in young animals. Age-dependent variation in the density and affinity of the mouse enterocyte receptors specific for STa was investigated. METHODS Four age groups (2-day-, 1- and 2-week-, and 2-month-old) of Swiss Webster mice were studied (8 to 10 mice/group). Flow cytometry and radiolabeled STa (125I-STa) assays were used as reliable quantitative measures for characterization of STa-enterocyte receptor interaction. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Interaction of STa with its putative receptor was stronger for enterocytes of 2-day-old mice. Scatchard analysis of 125I-STa-receptor interaction suggested that STa-receptors exist at higher numbers on enterocytes from 2-day-old (7.2 nmol/mg) than older (0.30, 0.36, and 0.40 nmol/mg for 1-week-, 2-week-, and 2-month-old mice, respectively). Additionally, receptors from 2-day-old mice had greater affinity for STa (Kd = 75 nM) than did receptors from older mice (Kd = 125, 1,430, and 1,111 nM for 1-week-, 2-week-, and 2-month-old mice, respectively). Density of STa receptors on enterocytes and their affinity to STa may determine extent of binding and severity of the secretory response, and may explain the high susceptibility of newborn animals and human infants to STa-mediated diarrhea.
(Early) Modern Literature: Crossing the Color-Line

This article examines the pedagogical implications of teaching about the past in a way that establishes continuity in relation to present and future moments. I describe and analyze how my Trinity College students navigated my course, “Crossing the Color-Line,” which aimed to eradicate boundaries and entangle the professional and personal, social and political, past and present, and black and white in an engaged manner. I argue that a radical course such as “Crossing the Color-Line” can showcase, through literature and other media, how fusing difference of all kinds—cultural, religious, literary, historical, gender—promotes rigorous student directed learning experiences that are inclusive. Because Shakespeare was not the sole authorial voice in the room, or the only early modern author in our syllabus, “Crossing the Color-Line” actively resisted the literary, racial, social, and cultural homogeneity that one can often find in an early modern classroom. By not being Shakespeare-centric, the course placed value on the female perspective and refrained from being androcentric in its authorial focus. Moreover, by positioning “the problem of the color-line” as relevant in the early modern period, the combined study of African-American and early modern English texts challenged critical race studies to include pre-nineteenth-century literature.
Innovations and aspirations

Moving beyond regular and generally accepted practices and discourses, in this final chapter I turn to less usual and more ambivalent religious phenomena among senators. I seek to analyze senatorial religious aspirations that extend beyond the customs and norms created and accepted by their peers, and beyond the regulations enforced by imperial rule. Identifying these trends provides evidence for the investment of senators in the creation and application of innovative religious ideas, proving that senators were active agents in the construction of an imperial religion that was meaningful to them. Significantly, as we will see, in turning to less mainstream religious interests senators focused on divine notions typically associated with the imperial cult, demonstrating the close connection between senatorial and imperial religion, a result discovered in Part II as well. Yet, as I argue, applying these divine associations to themselves, senators also appear to show an imaginary engagement with these religious phenomena, that is, an individual interest and investment in the forms of imperial religion closely connected to their own ideas about themselves. To make this point, I first discuss the worship of the genius of a living person, both for and by senators, showing that innovations in religious matters worked both ways: not only senators copying emperors, but also the other way around. Next, I consider the posthumous worship sought for and by them, practices that shared the religious framework of the imperial cult.
A comparison and integration of structural models of depression and anxiety in a clinical sample: Support for and validation of the tri-level model

Prominent structural models of depression and anxiety arise from 2 traditions: (a) the tripartite/integrative hierarchical model based on symptom dimensions, and (b) the fear/anxious-misery model based on diagnostic comorbidity data. The tri-level model of depression and anxiety was developed to synthesize these structural models, postulating that narrow (disorder-specific), intermediate (fear and anxious-misery), and broad (general distress) structural factors are needed to most fully account for covariation among these symptoms. Although this model has received preliminary support (Prenoveau et al., 2010), the current study compares it with the above established models and seeks to validate the best-fitting structure. We evaluated the tri-level model and alternative structural models in a large clinical sample (N = 1,000) using bifactor analysis. In exploratory and confirmatory subsamples, the tri-level model provided a good fit to the data and each of the 3 levels (narrow, intermediate, and broad) accounted for substantial variance; this model provided a superior fit relative to more parsimonious competing structural models. Furthermore, impairment was independently associated with all 3 levels of the tri-level model, comorbidity was most closely linked to the broad tri-level dimensions, and the factors generally showed the expected convergent/discriminant associations with diagnoses. Results suggested several revisions to prior research: (a) worry may be best modeled at the broadest structural level, rather than as an indicator of anxious-misery or fear; (b) social interaction anxiety may belong with anxious-misery, rather than fear; and (c) obsessive-compulsive disorder is generally associated with fear disorders, but hoarding is associated with both fear and anxious-misery. (PsycINFO Database Record
The effect of obesity on laparoscopic and robotic-assisted colorectal surgery outcomes: an ACS-NSQIP database analysis

Advantages of robotic-assisted colorectal surgery have been reported, but the effect on outcomes between obese and non-obese patients undergoing laparoscopic and robotic-assisted colorectal surgery remains unclear. Patients who underwent elective laparoscopic and robotic colon or rectal resections between 2012 and 2014 were identified in the ACS-NSQIP database. Propensity score matching was performed to determine the effect of obesity on laparoscopic and robotic-assisted 30-day surgical outcomes. 29,172 patients met inclusion criteria; 27,693 (94.9%) underwent laparoscopic colorectal surgery while 1479 (5.1%) underwent robotic-assisted surgery. Mean BMI was 28.4 kg/m2 and 35% of patients had a BMI ≥30 kg/m2. A 10-to-1 propensity matching of laparoscopic to robotic approaches was performed, resulting in 14,770 (90.9%) laparoscopic patients and 1477 (9.1%) robotic-assisted patients available for analysis. Robotic-assisted surgery was associated with lower conversion to laparotomy (2.4 vs 3.4%; p = 0.04) and decreased length-of-stay (4.5±3.2 vs 5.1±4.5 days; p < 0.0001). After adjusting for BMI and surgical approach, obese patients undergoing robotic-assisted surgery had a reduced odds ratio for developing prolonged ileus (p = 0.03). Robotic-assisted colorectal surgery is associated with fewer conversions to laparotomy and shorter length-of-stays compared to laparoscopic surgery. Risk of prolonged ileus is significantly reduced in obese patients undergoing a robotic-assisted approach.
In vivoRNA targeting of point mutations via suppressor tRNAs and adenosine deaminases

Point mutations underlie many genetic diseases. In this regard, while programmable DNA nucleases have been used to repair mutations, their use for gene therapy poses multiple challenges: one, efficiency of homologous recombination is typically low in cells; two, an active nuclease presents a risk of introducing permanent off-target mutations; and three, prevalent programmable nucleases typically comprise elements of non-human origin raising the potential of in vivo immunogenicity. In light of these, approaches to instead directly target RNA, and use of molecular machinery native to the host would be highly desirable. Towards this, we engineered and optimized two complementary approaches, referred together hereon as tRiAD, based on the use of tRNAs in codon suppression and adenosine deaminases in RNA editing. Specifically, by delivering modified endogenous tRNAs and/or the RNA editing enzyme ADAR2 and an associated guiding RNA (adRNA) via adeno-associated viruses, we enabled premature stop codon read-through and correction in the mdx mouse model of muscular dystrophy that harbors a nonsense mutation in the dystrophin gene. We further demonstrated inducible restoration of dystrophin expression by pyrolysyl-tRNA mediated incorporation of unnatural amino acids (UAAs) at the stop codon. Additionally, we also engineered ADAR2 mediated correction of a point mutation in liver RNA of the spfash mouse model of ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency. Taken together, our results establish the use of suppressor tRNAs and ADAR2 for in vivo RNA targeting, and this integrated tRiAD approach is robust, genomically scarless, and potentially non-immunogenic as it utilizes effector RNAs and human proteins.
Evaluating the geographic distribution of plants in Utah from the Atlas of Vascular Plants of Utah

Locations of 73,219 vascular plant vouchers representing 2438 species were digitized from the Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Utah (Albee et al. 1988). Source maps consist of l:6,000,000-scale shaded relief maps of Utah with points representing collection locations by species. Location points, representing 1 or more specimens, were transposed onto these maps from the approximately 400,000 herbarium records of 3 major universities and federal land manage- ment agencies. These source maps were digitized into an ARC/Info™ database in order to reproduce the atlas in digital form. Analysis of all locations revealed a mapping bias of the original authors to avoid placing sample locations on county boundaries and over major river corridors. A comparison between ecoregions and elevation showed that the Col- orado Plateau and Wasatch/Uinta Mountains have the highest species diversity, and that areas of low elevation (1000-2000 m) have the highest number of unique species in the state. Further, species richness is related to elevation and to ecoregion boundaries.
New Concepts in Antihypertensive Drug Therapy

There are many effective drug treatments for the management of patients with systemic hypertension (1). However, an ideal antihypertensive drug, which is both efficacious and free of adverse reactions, has yet to be introduced. This chapter will focus on new antihypertensive drugs at early stages of development (Table 1). These new agents have a considerable therapeutic potential, and represent highly selective pharmacologic approaches for the prevention and treatment of hypertension.
Der ewige Zweite? Überlegungen zur Regierungsdominanz im Deutschen Bundestag

Fur die Jahrzehnte nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg lasst sich bilanzieren, dass die westlichen Demokratien in hohem Mase wirtschaftlichen und sozialen Fortschritt geniesen konnten. Den meisten Burgern ging es tatsachlich besser, und die ubrigen konnten begrundet darauf hoffen, dass auch sie an dieser Entwicklung teilhaben wurden
Evolutionary Radiations and Extinctions

Evolutionary turnover is pervasive in the fossil record. Species appear, persist for some interval of time (with or without change), and then become extinct. Mean durations in the Phanerozoic fossil record vary from 1–10 Ma (6); the mean residence time of species is therefore short, relative to geologic time. The frequency distribution of durations is highly skewed; short-lived taxa are far more common than long-lived taxa. Since many short duration species are not preserved, the actual mean duration is probably considerably shorter than the measured estimates. As Van Valen (13) and others have shown, the extinction of species is often rather similar to the decay of radioactive isotopes; that is, the proportion of species that become extinct in successive time intervals of equal length is essentially constant. Major exceptions to this pattern occur as a consequence of mass extinction events.
Surface Potential in Energized Mitochondria

Oxidative phosphorylation is widely believed to be mediated by proton transport (1). Substrate oxidation is coupled to proton extrusion from the mitochondrial matrix, while ATP synthesis is coupled to proton uptake into the matrix. According to the chemiosmotic hypothesis, the transmembranal proton electrochemical potential gradient is the direct and only driving force for ATP synthesis. The mitochondrial inner membrane contains several very active electroneutral proton-substrate co-carriers (2) which result in the reduction of the pH gradient. Therefore, in mitochondria, membrane potential is the major component of the proton electrochemical gradient, ΔμH (4). In fully coupled mitochondria the magnitude of membrane potential is over 150 mV. On both sides of the mitochondrial inner membrane there is also a negative surface potential. However, under physiological conditions the magnitude of the surface potential is small (5–20mV). Moreover, if protons equilibrate between the bulk and the membrane surface, the magnitude of the proton electrochemical potential should be identical at the bulk and at the adjacent surface. In recent years it was suggested that coupling by proton transfer may occur by more direct pathways in addition or instead of the bulk solutions (5–8). One possibility is that surface protons do not equilibrate with the bulk so that the coupling proton current is carried on the surface (7,9). If this was the case, we would expect that energy conversion would be associated with more positive external surface potential since the mitochondrial surface charge strongly depend on surface pH (see below). Indeed, recently several laboratories reported changes in surface charge on energization of mitochondria and other energy converting membranes (10–13). However, the reported changes for mitochondria indicated that the surface on the cytosilic side become more negative, which is opposite to the predictions of the above mentioned model. Because of our interest in the possible existence of direct coupling modes (5,8), we decided to examine the reports on energy dependent surface potential changes in mitochondria.
Unilateral and Bilateral Virtual Springs: Contact Transitions Unmask Device Dynamics

The study of haptic perception often makes use of haptic rendering to display the variety of impedances needed to run an experiment. Unacknowledged in many cases is the influence of the selected device hardware on what the user will feel, particularly in interactions featuring frequencies above the control bandwidth. While human motion is generally limited to 10 Hz, virtual environments with unilateral constraints are subject to excitation of a wider frequency spectrum through contact transitions. We employ the effective impedance decomposition to discuss the effects of parasitics outside the rendering bandwidth. We also introduce an analysis of the admittance and impedance controllers with respect to sensitivity to load cell noise. We explore these effects using a single degree-of-freedom device that can be configured for either a low or high mechanical advantage in a perceptual experiment, with experimental conditions designed through application of the effective impedance decomposition. We find that the excitation of high frequencies through contact transitions negatively impacts humans’ ability to distinguish between stiffnesses.
Two-Choice Preference Testing of Taste Repellency in Quelea quelea

A three method laboratory preference testing program has been developed for evaluating candidate taste repellents on quelea (Quelea quelea). In all three methods, the birds are first adapted to the test conditions and food types and then offered a choice between the control food and one test food; preference is measured as proportion of total food consumed. A four-day individual cage test has been satisfactory for evaluating quelea response to 15 bird-resistant sorghum varieties. To avoid preference biases due to visible differences in shape, size, and color between the control and test foods, the foods were pelleted, and the birds were adapted to feed in near-darkness during the tests. A similar test, using surface-coated millet has been used to evaluate the repellency of constituents extracted from bird-resistant sorghums. In these cage tests, the repellents are ranked primarily by t test results. In the third method, a six-day enclosure test designed to simulate field conditions, five birds in a 2.5 by 2.4 by 2.2-m screened enclosure were offered a choice between tannin-coated and control sorghum heads. Preference was measured by analysis of variance. In general, experience indicates that, if precautions are taken to reduce stress and minimize extraneous factors, such as visual cues, adequate separations can be made among the test repellents with quite simple testing regimes.
Ethical Engagement with the Medicalization of Death in the Catholic Tradition

The Catholic tradition can help to guide patients and practitioners through the complex issues that arise due to the medicalization of death because of contemporary medical technology. The purpose is to illustrate how this religious denomination makes moral decisions in practice. The Catholic tradition moors its moral teachings in the constructive interplay between faith and reason, each of which opens itself to the other for insight and enlightenment. The analysis begins with the theoretical realm to discuss the theological foundations and the meaning of Natural Law that guide the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. This stance is then applied to several practical concerns that ethically engage issues surrounding the medicalization of death, including maternal-fetal conflicts, patients approaching the end of life, and after death dilemmas. The flexibility and range of Catholic morality can offer astute guidance not only to those who follow this tradition but also to those with different faith perspectives (or none) when they encounter the heart-wrenching dilemmas that medical technology presents around death and dying.
Advancing neuro-oncology of glial tumors from big data and multidisciplinary studies

Multidisciplinary studies for glial tumors has produced an enormous amount of information including imaging, histology, and a large cohort of molecular data (i.e. genomics, epigenomics, metabolomics, proteomics, etc.). The big data resources are made possible through open access that offers great potential for new biomarker or therapeutic intervention via deep-learning and/or machine learning for integrated multi-omics analysis. An equally important effort to define the hallmarks of glial tumors will also advance precision neuro-oncology and inform patient-specific therapeutics. This review summarizes past studies regarding tumor classification, hallmarks of cancer, and hypothetical mechanisms. Leveraging on advanced big data approaches and ongoing cross-disciplinary endeavors, this review also discusses how to integrate multiple layers of big data toward the goal of precision medicine. In addition to basic research of cancer biology, the results from integrated multi-omics analysis will highlight biological processes and potential candidates as biomarkers or therapeutic targets. Ultimately, these collective resources built upon an armamentarium of accessible data can re-form clinical and molecular data to stratify patient-tailored therapy. We envision that a comprehensive understanding of the link between molecular signatures, tumor locations, and patients’ history will identify a molecular taxonomy of glial tumors to advance the improvements in early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
Late eighteenth-century English orthoepic dictionary front matter

Authors of late eighteenth-century English dictionaries provided instruction in their front matter on how to use these reference works; how the language which they advocated for was superior to that in other dictionaries; and how users from regions outside of London could use dictionaries as self-help aids. The two authors discussed, James Buchanan and Thomas Sheridan, represent a group of lexicographers who attempted to impose structure on English to fix “problems” in pronunciation and writing. The authors of these dictionaries used their texts to assist readers in applying their methods to reduce unacceptable accents and improve understanding by others. These texts show that the English of England was prioritized by authors who were ministers, schoolmasters, and orators; that is, they were experts in their fields and were known specifically by their backgrounds and ideologies. That situation, however, is different from the anonymization and implicit politicization of online dictionaries today that neither name their writers nor obviously express editorial principles. Readers have become so accepting of what they read in online dictionaries that they do not question the validity of the information or from whence come senses and definitions, thus showing that there is an essential need for additional media literacy.
Location-allocation models for healthcare facilities with long-term demand

Healthcare facility location decisions are of great importance due to their impact on direct and social cost of people's well-being in a region. Optimal location decisions considering only current demand may become suboptimal as demand distribution changes. Considering future demand realisations in the decision making process can ensure long-term optimality. We present three mathematical models which follow grid-based location approach, and consider current and future demands in providing optimal location-allocation decisions. The first model considers allocations of present and future patients only to the nearest facilities. The second model allows patients to travel to facilities within allowable distance. The third model allows allocation of patients from one location to multiple facilities. The models are implemented with AMPL and numerical instances are solved with the CPLEX solver. Results show that the models are capable of solving medium size problems and the third model performs better in providing high quality solutions.
Chapter 2 – Sound Propagation

This chapter introduces the wave equation and the Helmholtz equation, along with plane, cylindrical, and spherical waves, for sound propagation in a lossless fluid. The concept of sound absorption is discussed in the context of a viscous fluid, in which the propagation is governed by Stokes' equation. Progressing to a more complicated medium, the grain-shearing theory of compressional- and shear-wave propagation in unconsolidated marine sediments is developed. Moving sources and receivers in homogeneous fluid media are then considered, followed by an analysis of reflection from and transmission through a fluid–fluid boundary. Guided propagation in a shallow-water waveguide with perfectly reflecting boundaries leads to a modal field in which intermodal interference occurs. The Pekeris channel, with a fluid–fluid seabed, also supports a modal field along with a lateral wave, sometimes known as a head wave, associated with the critical angle of the fluid–fluid interface. Finally, 3-D propagation in depth-varying channels is discussed and the concepts of horizontal refraction, acoustic shadowing, and intramodal interference are introduced in connection with two 3-D models, the ideal wedge and the penetrable wedge.
Narrative Evolution in Cannabis Policy Discourse

Some policy narratives stabilize and remain relatively unchanged over time. Others adapt to a changing environment and may fade away in the face of more powerful, more resonant narratives. In cannabis policy discourse, the long-standing Abstinence narrative, which had gained ascendance during alcohol Prohibition in 1921 before fading in the early 1930s, gained ascendance again in the late 1930s when cannabis was made illegal, and yet again during subsequent episodes of America’s war on drugs. The Compassionate Use narrative, which ushered in the era of medical cannabis, has brought new imagery and considerations that mitigate against the “just-say-no” mantra of the Abstinence narrative. Similarly, a Social Justice narrative may be displacing a Nativist narrative that justifies criminalizing cannabis by associating its use with ethnic minorities, racial minorities, and otherized groups. A Harm reduction narrative bolstered the Social Justice narrative and the Compassionate Use narrative in a seeming alliance. Meanwhile, a Libertarian narrative has persisted throughout the cannabis policy discourse in opposition to incarceration and criminalization.
Impact of Clinical, Laboratory and Fluid Therapy Variables on Hospital Length of Stay for Children with Acute Pancreatitis.

Purpose There have been many efforts to develop generalizable severity markers in children with acute pancreatitis (AP). Expert opinion panels have developed consensus guidelines on management but it is unclear if these are sufficient or valid. Our study aims to assess the effect of clinical and laboratory variables, in addition to treatment modality on hospital length of stay (LOS) as a proxy variable for severity in pediatric patients admitted with AP. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients between ages of 0-18 years, who were admitted with AP at 2 institutions between 2013-2018, John R. Oishei Children's Hospital (Buffalo, NY, USA) and Medical University of South Carolina Children's Hospital (Charleston, SC, USA). We constructed three linear regression models to analyze the effect of clinical signs of organ dysfunction, laboratory markers and fluid intake on hospital LOS. Results Ninety-two patients were included in the study. The mean age was 12 years (range, 7.6-17.4 years), 55% were females, and median LOS was 3 days. The most frequent cause of AP was idiopathic. Our study showed that elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) on admission (p<0.005), tachycardia that lasted for ≥48 hours (p<0.001) and need for fluid resuscitation were associated with increase LOS. Total daily fluid intake above maintenance did not have a significant effect on the primary outcome (p=0.49). Conclusion Elevated serum BUN on admission, persistent tachycardia and need for fluid resuscitation were associated with increase LOS in pediatric AP. Daily total fluid intake above recommended maintenance did not reduce LOS.
Surprising Pfaffian factorizations in random matrix theory with Dyson index β = 2

In recent decades, determinants and Pfaffians were found for eigenvalue correlations of various random matrix ensembles. These structures simplify the average over a large number of ratios of characteristic polynomials to integrations over one and two characteristic polynomials only. Up to now it was thought that determinants occur for ensembles with Dyson index β = 2, whereas Pfaffians only for ensembles with β = 1, 4. We derive a non-trivial Pfaffian determinant for β = 2 random matrix ensembles which is similar to the one for β = 1, 4. Thus, it unveils a hidden universality of this structure. We also give a general relation between the orthogonal polynomials related to the determinantal structure and the skew-orthogonal polynomials corresponding to the Pfaffian. As a particular example, we consider the chiral unitary ensembles in great detail.
Mechanics of the cellular microenvironment as perceived by cells in vivo

Tissue morphogenesis and repair, as well as organ homeostasis, require cells to constantly monitor their 3D microenvironment and adapt their behaviors in response to local biochemical and mechanical cues1-6. In vitro studies have shown that substrate stiffness and stress relaxation are important mechanical parameters in the control of cell proliferation and differentiation, stem cell maintenance, cell migration 7-11, as well as tumor progression and metastasis12,13. Yet, the mechanical parameters of the microenvironment that cells perceive in vivo, within 3D tissues, remain unknown. In complex materials with strain- and time-dependent material properties, the perceived mechanical parameters depend both on the strain and timescales at which the material is mechanically probed14. Here, we quantify in vivo and in situ the mechanics of the cellular microenvironment that cells probe during vertebrate presomitic mesoderm (PSM) specification. By analyzing the magnitude and dynamics of endogenous, cell-generated strains, we show that individual cells preferentially probe the stiffness associated with deformations of the supracellular, foam-like tissue architecture. We reveal how stress relaxation leads to a perceived microenvironment stiffness that decreases over time, with cells probing the softest regime. While stress relaxation timescales are spatially uniform in the tissue, most mechanical parameters, including those probed by cells, vary along the anteroposterior axis, as mesodermal progenitors commit to different lineages. Understanding the mechanical parameters that cells probe in their native 3D environment is important for quantitative studies of mechanosensation in vivo2-4,6,15 and can help design scaffolds for tissue engineering applications16-18.
Linear Algebra Review

We briefly review many key definitions and aspects of linear algebra that will be necessary for the remainder of the book. This review includes basic operations for vectors and matrices. A highlight is the dot product and its intuitive geometric properties.
Antimicrobial prescribing patterns in equine ambulatory practice

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most important public health risks facing our world today. Antimicrobials are commonly prescribed in equine veterinary medicine, but limited information exists documenting their use in practice. The goal of this study was to investigate antimicrobial prescription patterns in regards to prescription frequency, duration, drug class, clinician and affected body system in an equine ambulatory setting via retrospective analysis of billing and electronic medical records. Risk factors associated with antimicrobial prescription including the nature of the visit, submission of a culture, body system affected and clinician were assessed using multivariable regression. We found that antimicrobials were prescribed in 8.5 % of visits with a median number of 3.5 (IQR 0.8-12.2) animal-defined daily doses (ADD), defined as the number of daily doses of all antimicrobials prescribed to a patient at a single visit. Aminoglycosides were the most common class of antimicrobials prescribed and trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole was the most common drug prescribed overall. Amikacin was primarily used for patients presenting with musculoskeletal signs, and the median number of ADDs for visits where amikacin was prescribed was 1 (IQR 0.9-1.9), while the median number of antimicrobial ADDs for all other visits was 4.4 (IQR 0-14.1). Statistically significant differences in antimicrobial use patterns existed across clinicians, months, years and affected body systems. Horses presenting with ocular (OR 1199; 95 % CI 204-7,037; p < 0.001) and integumentary (OR 365; 95 % CI 87.2-1532; p < 0.001) signs were most likely to be prescribed an antimicrobial. Emergency visits (OR 5.61; 95 % CI 3.19-9.89; p < 0.001) and submission of a bacterial culture (OR 3.58; 95 % CI 2.11-6.09; p < 0.001) were associated with an increased likelihood of an antimicrobial prescription. This observational study was the first to quantitatively characterize antimicrobial use patterns in equine ambulatory practice in the United States, which is an important step needed to determine appropriateness of use and develop and evaluate antimicrobial stewardship guidelines.
Applications of PGPRs in edible mushrooms industry: a short overview

The growing body of evidence suggests that plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) are among most important soil microorganisms that could potentially affect the sustainable growth of plant species. To date, scientific investigations unraveled that various types of PGPRs have been isolated from agricultural soils that showed potential benefits to produce phytohormones, biocontrol agents, plant growth stimulants, and enhance soil quality. The majority of researches that have been conducted on PGPRs mainly focused on the applications of these strains for agricultural proposes. During the past decades, the application of PGPRs to enhance the growth of edible mushrooms mycelia has significantly received much attention from researchers. According to estimations, the global market of edible mushrooms has been increased during the past years because of increasing demands for regular consumption of specific types of cashing mushrooms. In this regard, several studies reported that a variety of PGPRs such as Pseudomonas strains have the capability to increase the growth of fungal mycelia through secretion of specific types of metabolites into compost and casing soil materials. Researches also highlighted this fact that PGPRs could suppress the development of mushroom pathogens such as Trichoderma agrressivum that are highly remarkable concerns for commercial mushroom growers. The ability of PGPRs to control fungal pathogens and enhance the growth of edible mushrooms is depending on several factors such the strain of bacteria, target edible mushrooms and the quality of mushroom producing compartments. However, the specification of PGPRs for sustainable growth of edible mushrooms is still required extensive researches on these strains to display bacteria biological mode of action to modify the quality mushroom growth and increase mushroom yield. In this respect, the current paper deals with recent trends on the application of PGPRs for improving the cultivation of commercial cashing mushrooms and tries to provide a perspective for large-scale application of beneficial bacterial strains for edible mushroom industry.
GENERATION OF FINITE ELEMENT MODELS VIA COMPUTER GRAPHICS

The objective of this paper is to illustrate an interactive computer graphics program developed to simplify the creation of finite element data which will be used for computerized structural analysis. Three-dimensional, part definition data in the form of basic design lines in input to the program and displayed on a cathode ray tube, and then a structural engineer creates the finite element definition using various computer graphics techniques. The procedures involved are discussed in detail, as well as the advantages over the traditional manual approach to element generation.
Insider Research into 'Experiment with Light': Uncomfortable Reflexivity in a Different Field

In this article based on ongoing research, I discuss the difficulty of separating my personal experience from my research into 'Experiment with Light' .1 I argue by reference to the work of Labaree,Z Pillow3 and Boffl that the inherent complexities of researching a process which itself seeks 'Truth' requires the researcher to be reflexive to the point of discomfort. I show how the dilemmas Labaree identifies in insider research signal Pillow's uncomfortable reflexivity and move her analysis beyond the context of race and gender to the religious context, where it serves a different purpose. I conclude by reference to Boff's theory that in the field of this type of religious ethnography insider is preferable to outsider research and suggest areas for further enquiry.
A study of surface winds in tropical storms using modified near real-time processing of QuikSCAT measurements

Performance of the NOAA/NESDIS near realtime QuikSCAT wind retrieval algorithm was assessed in the case of tropical cyclone IRIS, that occurred in Northern Atlantic, in October 2001. For this storm, the estimated wind field failed to produce a circular structure characteristic of tropical cyclones. We established that the Aviation Forecasting Field that was used to initialize ambiguity removal process was the primary cause of error, since it completely missed this feature. We proposed an initialization process that uses the information available from backscatter data to estimate possible regions of tropical cyclones. The proposed procedure allows estimation of wind fields that are less influenced by an external field. However, in the case of tropical storm IRIS the wind retrieval algorithm failed to generate solutions that would allow ambiguity removal to close circulation even when clustered errors in the initial field were broken by the new initialization procedure.
MICROWAVE-ASSISTED DEHYDRATION FOR ELECTRON MICROSCOPY SAMPLE PREPARATION IN THE STUDY OF THERMO-SONICATED YOGURT

In electron microscopy, considerable sample preparation time is required to make meaningful observations. The objective of this work was to study the microstructure of sonicated yogurt with three sample preparation techniques. The first sample preparation consisted of the conventional dehydration with organic solvents; technique number 2 consisted of freeze-drying the samples. The third technique consisted of dehydration of samples with solvents assisted with the use of microwave (MW). Images showed that freeze-drying is not a technique suitable for yogurt because of the low resolution. However, high-resolution images were obtained with MW, showing very good homogenization of the components of the sonicated yogurt (fat globules, casein micelles and lactose crystals) and also MW shortened the time of sample preparation to 3 h compared with the conventional dehydration technique (5 days). PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Sample preparation for electron microscopy takes a considerable amount of time, and sometimes, shorter processing times are required for some specific applications that require high-resolution images of the product quickly. Microwave energy has been used in the food industry for different applications, but this energy can also be used to considerably reduce the processing times during sample preparation for microscopy without affecting the original structure of the product while providing high-quality images.
Single walled carbon nanotube composites for bone tissue engineering

The purpose of this study was to develop single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLAGA) composites for orthopedic applications and to evaluate the interaction of human stem cells (hBMSCs) and osteoblasts (MC3T3-E1 cells) via cell growth, proliferation, gene expression, extracellular matrix production and mineralization. PLAGA and SWCNT/PLAGA composites were fabricated with various amounts of SWCNT (5, 10, 20, 40, and 100 mg), characterized and degradation studies were performed. Cells were seeded and cell adhesion/morphology, growth/survival, proliferation and gene expression analysis were performed to evaluate biocompatibility. Imaging studies demonstrated uniform incorporation of SWCNT into the PLAGA matrix and addition of SWCNT did not affect the degradation rate. Imaging studies revealed that MC3T3-E1 and hBMSCs cells exhibited normal, non-stressed morphology on the composites and all were biocompatible. Composites with 10 mg SWCNT resulted in highest rate of cell proliferation (p < 0.05) among all composites. Gene expression of alkaline phosphatase, collagen I, osteocalcin, osteopontin, Runx-2, and Bone Sialoprotein was observed on all composites. In conclusion, SWCNT/PLAGA composites imparted beneficial cellular growth capabilities and gene expression, and mineralization abilities were well established. These results demonstrate the potential of SWCNT/PLAGA composites for musculoskeletal regeneration and bone tissue engineering (BTE) and are promising for orthopedic applications.
Fracture of silicon carbide whisker reinforced aluminum

An attempt is made to apply standard fracture toughness testing procedures, developed for metals, to whisker reinforced metal matrix composites. Test were carried out on compact-tension, center-notched, and edge-notched specimens of silicon carbide whisker reinforced extruded 2124 aluminum plate (10 and twenty volume percent of whiskers), with the loading direction either parallel or perpendicular to the extrusion direction. None of the tests is found to give a valid fracture toughness according to the criteria of the ASTM Standard E-399.
Search for chargino-neutralino pair production with the D0 detector at the Tevatron

We have searched for evidence for the chargino {bar {chi}}{sub 1}{sup {+-}} and neutralino ({bar {chi}}{sub 2}{sup 0}) pair production in proton anti-proton collisions at a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. Data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 124.5 pb{sup -1} were examined for events containing like-sign electron pair and missing energy for the first time at D0. They observed no excess above the yield from Standard Model processes. In the framework of mSUGRA, they set a series of upper limits, at the 95% confidence level, of the chargino neutralino production cross section times the branching fraction to tri-electrons as a function of the chargino mass. These limits range from 0.79 pb for m{sub {bar {chi}}{sub 1}{sup {+-}}} = 86.9 GeV/c{sup 2} to 0.52 pb for m{sub {bar {chi}}{sub 1}{sup {+-}}} = 115.1 GeV/c{sup 2}.
The Ethics of Downsizing: Perceptions of Rights and Responsibilities

Within the context of employee rights and management social responsibility, this paper identifies and explores three ethical dimensions of downsizing. Using ANOVA and Scheffe post-hoc statistical techniques, groups involved in the downsizing decision making process were compared with groups affected by the process on each ethical dimension. Results indicated that those affected by the process attached greater ethical significance to these dimensions than those who were involved in formulating and implementing/communicating downsizing decisions.
The Introduction of a Comprehensive Logging Safety Standard in the USA – The First Eighteen Months

In the 18 months since the effective date of the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Logging Standard, 289 logging site inspections had been performed in the US by OSHA personnel. In West Virginia, 25 inspections found 170 violations ranging from incomplete first-aid kits and poor record keeping to hazardous felling areas. Four of these inspections were initiated by accidents that caused serious injury or fatality. The average proposed penalty per citation was $130.59. Approximately two-thirds of West Virginia loggers expressed misgivings about the OSHA standard. However, only 36% thought that they had a good knowledge of the OSHA logging regulations. Foresters and loggers in the US should be aware that OSHA regulations pertaining to timber harvesting operations are being enforced and, in some cases, may affect the way forests are harvested and managed.
Management of breech presentation at term

Abstract In a retrospective analysis of 2,145 cases of singleton term breech presentation, the corrected perinatal mortality rate was 3 times higher and the neonatal traumatic morbidity rate was 12 times higher than in singleton term vertex presentation. The poor pregnancy outcome was concentrated among infants delivered vaginally; there was no excess perinatal mortality rate among singleton term breech infants delivered by cesarean section, although neonatal traumatic morbidity was 5 times higher than for vertex presentation. Based on this experience, a series of recommendations are derived, designed to improve pregnancy outcome in term breech presentation: (1) Indications for cesarean section should be liberalized, but routine elective cesarean section for term breech presentation is not justified; (2) vaginal delivery should be considered if maternal pelvic measurements are known and are at least of mean normal dimensions and the estimated fetal weight is not excessive; (3) breech labor and delivery should be supervised by the most experienced obstetrician available and effected with the least obstetric manipulation possible; and (4) constant monitoring of the fetal heart is essential to prevent asphyxic perinatal death.
Plasma Physics: An Introductory Course

Plasma Physics: An Introductory Course was developed from recent lectures given at the British Culham Summer School in Plasma Physics, a 2-week introductory course for graduate-level students, which has been conducted each summer since 1964. The volume presents many points of view since its 18 chapters were written by different authors, but the well-integrated chapters provide an excellent introduction to plasma physics. While the absence of homework problems and the diverse points of view render it inappropriate for use as an introductory textbook, its cross-cutting discussion of research progress in a wide range of plasma physics and applications constitutes a useful supplement to more conventional textbooks.
A Comparison of the Performances of Procedures for Selecting the Normal Population Having the Largest Mean when the Variances are Known and Equal

We study the performance characteristics of procedures for selecting the normal population which has the largest mean when the variances are known and equal. The procedures studied are the single-stage procedure of Bechhofer, the closed two-stage procedure of Tamhane and Bechhofer, the open sequential procedure of Bechhofer, Kiefer, and Sobel and a truncated version of that procedure by Bechhofer and Goldsman, the closed multi-stage procedure with elimination of Paulson and improved closed versions of that procedure by Fabian and by Hartmann. The performance characteristics studied are the achieved probability of a correct selection, the expected number of stages required to terminate experimentation, and the expected total number of observations required to terminate experimentation. Except for the single-stage procedure, all performance characteristics are estimated by Monte Carlo sampling. Based on these results, recommendations are made concerning which procedure to use in different circumstances.
Whither the White Working Class? A Comment on Khanna and Harris, "Discovering Race in a 'Post-Racial' World: Teaching Race through Primetime Television".

Even though I recognize the value of using the mass media to teach sociological concepts and reveal racial biases, I caution against the use of classroom exercises that are developed solely in the ...
Extended control program support: VM/370: a hardware assist for the IBM virtual machine facility/370

ECPS:VM/370 is a hardware assist of the VM/370 software control program. ECPS:VM/370 provides improved performance for the software system through a combination of hardware assist technologies. The assist provides hardware support for virtual machine execution of certain System/370 real machine functions. The assist also introduces instructions intended for use by the VM/370 control program. ECPS:VM/370 is defined to simplify maintenance and service of the assisted system. This paper describes the general functions of the assist and presents an explanation of the control and service capabilities provided with the assist.