cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glans inflation morphology and female cloaca copulatory interactions of the male American alligator phallus

The phallic glans of the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is the distal termination of the semen-conducting sulcus spermaticus and during copulation has the closest, most intimate mechanical interactions with the female urodeum, the middle cloacal chamber that contains the opening to the vaginal passages and oviducts. However, the details of this interface leading to insemination and gamete uptake are unclear. Here, we: (1) histologically characterize the underlying tissue types and morphologically quantify the shape changes associated with glans inflation into the copulatory conformation, (2) digitally reconstruct from MRI the 3D shape of functional tissue compartments, and (3) diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced computed tomography image the copulatory fit between male phallus and female cloaca. We discuss these results in relation to tissue type material properties, the transfer on intromittent forces, establishing potential copulatory lock, inflated glans volume scaling with body mass/length, the mechanics of semen targeting and insemination, and potential female cryptic choice impacting multiple clutch paternity. In part, this study further clarifies the phallic morphological variation observed among crocodylians and begins to investigate the role(s) these divergent male forms play during copulation interacting with female cloacal forms to increase reproductive success.
Ambrosia Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Communities and Frass Production in ʻŌhiʻa (Myrtales: Myrtaceae) Infected With Ceratocystis (Microascales: Ceratocystidaceae) Fungi Responsible for Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death

Rapid 'Ōhi'a Death (ROD) is a deadly disease that is threatening the native Hawaiian keystone tree species, 'ōhi'a lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha Gaudich). Ambrosia beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) and their frass are hypothesized to play a major role in the spread of ROD, although their ecological niches and frass production within trees and across the landscape are not well understood. We characterized the beetle communities and associated frass production from bolts (tree stem sections) representative of entire individual 'ōhi'a trees from multiple locations across Hawai'i Island by rearing beetles and testing their frass for viable ROD-causing fungi. Additionally, we estimated frass production for three beetle species by weighing their frass over time. We found that Xyleborinus saxesenii (Ratzburg), Xyleborus affinis Eichhoff, Xyleborus ferrugineus (Fabricius), Xyleborus perforans (Wollaston), and Xyleborus simillimus Perkins were commonly found on ROD-infected 'ōhi'a and each produced frass containing viable Ceratocystis propagules. The Hawai'i Island endemic beetle and the only native ambrosia beetle associated with 'ōhi'a, X. simillimus, was limited to high elevations and appeared to utilize similar tree heights or niche dimensions as the invasive X. ferrugineus. Viable Ceratocystis propagules expelled in frass were found throughout entire tree bole sections as high as 13 m. Additionally, we found that X. ferrugineus produced over 4× more frass than X. simillimus. Our results indicate the ambrosia beetle community and their frass play an important role in the ROD pathosystem. This information may help with the development and implementation of management strategies to control the spread of the disease.
Low-Complexity Quickest Change Detection in Linear Systems With Unknown Time-Varying Pre- and Post-Change Distributions

Motivated by the sequential detection of false data injection attacks (FDIAs) in a dynamic smart grid, we consider a more general problem of sequentially detecting a time-varying change in a dynamic linear regression model. To be specific, when the change occurs, a time-varying unknown vector is added in the linear regression model. The parameter vector of the linear regression model is also assumed to be unknown and time-varying. Thus, the pre- and post-change distributions are both unknown and time-varying. This imposes a significant challenge for designing a computationally efficient sequential detector. We first propose two Cumulative-Sum-type algorithms to address this challenge. One is called generalized Cumulative-Sum (GCUSUM) algorithm, and the other one is called relaxed generalized Cumulative-Sum (RGCUSUM) algorithm, which is a modified version of the GCUSUM. It can be shown that the computational complexity of the proposed RGCUSUM algorithm scales linearly with the number of observations. Next, considering Lordon’s setup, for any given constraint on the expected false alarm period, a lower bound on the threshold employed in the proposed RGCUSUM algorithm is derived, which provides a useful guideline for the design of the proposed RGCUSUM algorithm to achieve any prescribed performance requirement in practice. In addition, for any given threshold employed in the proposed RGCUSUM algorithm, an upper bound on the expected detection delay is also provided. The performance of the proposed RGCUSUM algorithm is numerically studied in the context of an IEEE standard power system under FDIAs. Moreover, the numerical results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed RGCUSUM in computational efficiency.
Single-step metal-catalyzed synthesis of hybrid planar graphene–orbicular graphitic carbon structures using an amorphous carbon thin film as a precursor

Abstract Graphene is one of the strongest and most electrically and thermally conductive materials in nature; therefore, incorporating even traces of graphene to other materials can significantly enhance their mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties. Such graphene-based materials can find uses in many applications, including flexible displays, batteries, supercapacitors, solar panels, and mobile devices. However, developing graphene-based 2D materials is challenging. In this study, a facile single-step synthesis method for fabricating thin layers of amorphous carbon (a-C) containing planar graphene (PG) and orbicular graphitic carbon (OGC) nanostructures was developed by thermal annealing in inert atmosphere using an sp3-rich a-C thin film as a precursor. By annealing thin-film stacks of Si/NiFe/a-C, a thin layer with a hybrid a-C-PG-OGC structure was produced with OGC nanostructures forming on top of PG nanostructures and pyramidal NiSix nanocrystals extending into the Si substrate due to the diffusion of nickel into the silicon substrate during elevated-temperature annealing. Raman spectroscopy and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy confirmed the transformation from amorphous to graphitic structure in the a-C film during thermal annealing. The obtained results demonstrate that the development of this 2D material with a hybrid a-C-PG-OGC microstructure is due to a metal-catalyzed PG nucleation mechanism and a mismatch-induced OGC growth mechanism. The present method for synthesizing graphene-containing thin-film structures paves the way toward the fabrication of complex micro-assemblies where high strength and good thermoelectric properties are of paramount importance.
A Study on Barriers and Practices of Supply Chain Social Sustainability in Indian and North American Energy and Manufacturing Sectors

The paper paves a way to understand supply chain social sustainability practices and their associated barriers to implementation in the Indian and North American energy and manufacturing sectors. A systematic literature review and 4-point Likert scale survey provide clarity on the barriers and their perception from an industrial perspective. Findings from this study highlight that while the criticality of barriers differs with industry and geographies, some barriers are common to all. The study also highlights an approach needed for these sectors by identifying the most common barriers by providing a clear path on what practices can bring about the most impact in resolution. 20 barriers are identified, of which 3 show a stark difference in perception on its criticality against current published research work. The paper also identifies the top barriers along with the practices that make it most easy to implement. 11 common barriers that exist in the target industries of the two countries are identified and 6 easiest-to-resolve barriers are revealed, analyzing the maximum number of mitigation practices available. The paper concludes by identifying eight most impactful social sustainability practices that can help resolve the maximum number of implementation barriers and highlights avenues for further research in the field.
Origin of Insulating Ferromagnetism in Iron Oxychalcogenide Ce 2 O 2 FeSe 2

An insulating ferromagnetic (FM) phase exists in the quasi-one-dimensional iron oxychalcogenide ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}{\mathrm{FeSe}}_{2}$, but its origin is unknown. To understand the FM mechanism, here a systematic investigation of this material is provided, analyzing the competition between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic tendencies and the interplay of hoppings, Coulomb interactions, Hund's coupling, and crystal-field splittings. Our intuitive analysis based on second-order perturbation theory shows that large entanglements between doubly occupied and half filled orbitals play a key role in stabilizing the FM order in ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}{\mathrm{FeSe}}_{2}$. In addition, via many-body computational techniques applied to a multiorbital Hubbard model, the phase diagram confirms the proposed FM mechanism.
Effects of chronological presentation of information on processing and memory for broadcast news

This study shows that the order of information presentation in broadcast news stories influences recall and recognition of information contained in the newscast. Specifically, it was theorized that...
Management and Utilization of Poultry Wastes

Poultry products are consumed by most ethnic populations worldwide. In recent years, the global production of poultry meat and eggs has increased at an annual rate of approximately 5% with the United States, China, the former Soviet Union countries, Brazil, France, and Japan representing dominant production countries. In 1991, nearly 40 million metric tons (t) of poultry meat and 600 billion eggs were produced globally (Sims and Wolf 1994). In the United States, poultry production increased by 44% between 1982 and 1994, representing a recent annual production inventory of nearly 8 billion broilers, 300 million layers, and 300 million turkeys (Bagley et al. 1996; U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry 1997).
The quiet (energy) revolution : analysing the dissemination of photovoltaic power systems in Kenya

Abstract The widespread introduction and adoption of renewable energy technologies remains high on virtually every national development policy agenda; renewable energy systems can assist national energy autonomy, decentralize resource management, promote environmental conservation, and serve as a means to reduce global warming. The track record of efforts to turn this noble ideology into successful technology transfer and dissemination, however, remains very mixed. It is a story of a few successes amid many failures. Here we document and examine the diffusion of small-scale photovoltaic (PV) systems in Kenya. At the same time that integrated energy plans and top-down models championing renewable energy futures are becoming increasingly common, a new power base, divorced from these grand schemes, has begun to emerge. Over the past decade, some 20 000 to 40 000 small PV systems, essentially all privately financed, have been installed in Kenya. Many valuable lessons for renewable energy research can be found here. The Kenyan case richly illustrates the dramatic role that actors on every scale, from grassroots to international, can have in accelerating — or when mismanaged, impeding — technology transfer and the elevation of renewable energy systems from niche applications to a prominent role in household empowerment, and decentralized and sustainable development initiatives.
The Influence of Credit Union and Savings and Loan Competition on Bank Deposit Rates in Idaho and Montana

This study examines the effect of S & L and credit union competition on bank behaviorin Idaho and Montana. A structure-performance OLSmodel is used to estimate bank interest rates oncertain deposits. Two key independent variables arelocal market share of credit unions and S & Ldeposits. Overall, previous studies found littleevidence that thrift competition affects bankperformance. We found some evidence that thriftcompetition, especially from credit unions, resultsin higher interest rates for bank CDs. Theseresults have policy implications as banking groupscurrently seek to restrict credit union competition.
Adapting road procurement to climate conditions

The world's climate is changing. It is well recognized that technical standards and project specifications of public infrastructure have to be adjusted, depending on the climate. However, it is less recognized that the public infrastructure procurement also needs to be adjusted. This paper examines a particular case of rural road procurement in Nepal. Severe weather conditions, such as heavy rains and storms, are likely to interrupt civil works and wash away unpaved or gravel roads. It is found that heavy precipitation causes delays, but not cost overruns. The paper also shows that budgetary efficiency and credibility could be improved by taking climate conditions into account. If future precipitation were anticipated by backward-looking expectations, many large project delays could be avoided. If the autoregressive precipitation model were used, the vast majority of the observed delays could be eliminated.
In Defense of Nudge–Autonomy Compatibility

In their article “Doctors, Patients, and Nudging in the Clinical Context—Four Views on Nudging and Informed Consent,” Thomas Ploug and Soren Holm argue that nudging is inconsistent with autonomy pr...
Design for Microelectronics Reliability

The sections in this article are 1 Reliability Concepts 2 Types of Failure Distributions 3 Failure Mechanism Acceleration 4 Defects and Burn-In 5 Thermomechanical Models 6 Electrochemical Models 7 Forced-Diffusion Transport Models 8 Oxidation 9 RH Within Semihermetic Modules 10 Conclusions
WindSat-satellite-based polarimetric microwave radiometer

WindSat is a satellite-based multi-frequency polarimetric microwave radiometer being developed by the Naval Research Laboratory for the U.S. Navy and the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Integrated Program Office (IPO). WindSat is designed to demonstrate the viability of using polarimetric microwave radiometry to measure the ocean surface wind vector from space. The sensor provides risk reduction data that the IPO will use in the development of the Conical Microwave Imager Sounder (CMIS). WindSat is the primary payload on the Air Force Coriolis satellite, which is scheduled to launch in February 2002.
Telecommunications programs at George Washington University

Abstract At George Washington University, various telecommunications programs exist with different orientations. There is the Telecommunications Policy Program in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Telecommunications Management Program in the School of Government and Business Administration, and numerous telecommunications engineering courses in the School of Engineering and Applied Science and in the information systems technology/management programs in the School of Government and Business Administration. This article concentrates on the policy and management programs and examines their course structures, contents, and trends.
Extending the BSP model for multi-core and out-of-core computing

Introduction of MBSP a new model of multi-core and out-of-core computing.Comparison of MBSP to other models of computation multi-core or out-of-core.Justification of design choices in selecting parameter set of MBSP.Analysis of a parallel deterministic regular oversampling sorting algorithm.Design and analysis of a sorting algorithm under MBSP. We present an extension of the bulk-synchronous parallel (BSP) model to abstract and model parallelism in the presence of multiple memory hierarchies and multiple cores. We call the new model MBSP for multi-memory BSP. The BSP model has been used to model internal memory parallel computers; MBSP retains the properties of BSP and in addition can abstract not only traditional external memory-supported parallelism (e.g. that uses another level of slower memory) but also multi-level cache-based memory hierarchies such as those present in multi-core systems. Present day multi-core systems are limited parallelism architectures with fast inter-core communication but limited fast memory availability. Abstracting the programming requirements of such architectures in a useful and usable manner is the objective of introducing MBSP. We propose multi-core program and algorithm design that measures resource utilization through a septuplet ( p , l , g , m , L , G , M ) in which ( p , l , g ) are the BSP parameters for modeling processor component size and interprocessor communication through latency-based and throughput-based cost mechanisms, and ( m , L , G , M ) are the new parameters that abstract additional memory hierarchies. Each processor component is attached to a memory of size M, and there are also m memory-units accessing a slower memory of unlimited size of latency-based and throughput-based cost ( L , G ) . A deterministic sorting algorithm is described on this model that is potentially both usable and useful.
Computational Simulation of Damage Progression of Composite Thin Shells Subjected to Mechanical Loads

Defect-free and defected composite thin shells with ply orientation (90/0/+/-75) made of graphite/epoxy are simulated for damage progression and fracture due to internal pressure and axial loading. The thin shells have a cylindrical geometry with one end fixed and the other free. The applied load consists of an internal pressure in conjunction with an axial load at the free end, the cure temperature was 177 C (350 F) and the operational temperature was 21 C (70 F). The residual stresses due to the processing are taken into account. Shells with defect and without defects were examined by using CODSTRAN an integrated computer code that couples composite mechanics, finite element and account for all possible failure modes inherent in composites. CODSTRAN traces damage initiation, growth, accumulation, damage propagation and the final fracture of the structure. The results show that damage initiation started with matrix failure while damage/fracture progression occurred due to additional matrix failure and fiber fracture. The burst pressure of the (90/0/+/- 75) defected shell was 0.092% of that of the free defect. Finally the results of the damage progression of the (90/0/+/- 75), defective composite shell was compared with the (90/0/+/- theta, where theta = 45 and 60, layup configurations. It was shown that the examined laminate (90/0/+/- 75) has the least damage tolerant of the two compared defective shells with the (90/0/+/- theta), theta = 45 and 60 laminates.
A polynomial-time algorithm, based on Newton's method, for linear programming

A new interior method for linear programming is presented and a polynomial time bound for it is proven. The proof is substantially different from those given for the ellipsoid algorithm and for Karmarkar's algorithm. Also, the algorithm is conceptually simpler than either of those algorithms.
Numerically Consistent Strong Conservation Grid Motion for Finite Difference Schemes

An investigation into the numerical issues of curvilinear coordinate grid motion for e nite difference schemes is performed. Several formulations of the time-dependent curvilinear coordinate equations are compared using unsteady benchmark test problems. A new, numerically consistent method of computing theunsteady grid metrics for the strong conservation equations is developed and demonstrated.
Immunogenicity of hepatitis A vaccination in decompensated cirrhotic patients

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) vaccination is recommended in chronic liver disease because of an increased morbidity and mortality associated with HAV superinfection. However, data regarding the efficacy of HAV vaccination in patients with advanced chronic liver disease is limited. We assessed the efficacy of a standard HAV vaccination schedule in decompensated chronic liver disease in comparison with compensated disease and defined clinical predictors associated with seroconversion. Eighty-four anti-HAV antibody-negative patients, 49 with compensated liver disease, and 35 with decompensated disease were enrolled. Seroconversion was measured by qualitative and quantitative anti-HAV antibody measurements 1 month after each vaccine dose, and univariate/multivariate analysis was performed to define clinical predictors associated with seroconversion. One month after the primary dose, 71.4% of patients with compensated liver disease had detectable anti-HAV antibody compared with 37.1% with decompensated liver disease (P <.05). One month after the booster dose, 98% of compensated patients seroconverted compared with 65.7% with decompensated disease (P <.05). The median serum antibody concentration in compensated liver disease was 76.4 mIU/mL at month 1 and 327.91 mIU/mL at month 7 compared with 20.0 mIU/mL and 102.57 mIU/mL, respectively, in decompensated disease. On multivariate analysis, Child-Pugh class was the only factor predicting response to vaccination. Seroconversion after HAV vaccination was significantly less common in decompensated liver disease and the presence of advanced disease (Child-Pugh class B/C) predicted a lower response rate. These findings indicate that the response to HAV vaccination in chronic liver disease is optimal when targeted to patients before the development of hepatic decompensation.
Prescription drug use and risk of acute myeloid leukemia by French-American-British subtype: results from a Los Angeles County case-control study.

Chemotherapy is a well-established risk factor for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) but little is known about other prescription drugs and AML risk. We report data from a population-based Los Angeles County study in which 299 matched case-control pairs had complete data on prescription drug use and 88% of cases were subtyped according to the French-American-British (FAB) criteria. Cases were diagnosed between 1987 and 1994. Prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use for at least 4 weeks in the 2 to 10 years before diagnosis was associated with decreased risk (odds ratio = 0.5, 95% confidence interval = 0.3, 1.0; p = 0.04) with dose-response most evident for FAB subtype M2 (OR = 0.6, CI: 0.1, 2.9 for duration ≤6 months; OR = 0.2, CI: 0.0, 1.6 for >6 months). For subtype M4, ORs increased with increasing duration of benzodiazepine use in the 2 to 10 years before diagnosis (OR = 1.5, CI: 0.3, 9.0 for ≤6 months vs. OR = 5.0, CI: 0.6, 42.8 for >6 months). These results suggest that prescription drugs other than chemotherapy may have FAB subtype-specific effects on AML risk. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Is Ap4A an Activator of Eukaryotic DNA Replication

The most well established fact concerning Ap4A metabolism is that the concentration of this compound is cell cycle and cell proliferation dependent. An additional intriguing fact is that Ap4A can stimulate DNA synthesis in cell extracts, and when injected into living cells. In view of these facts, it is not surprising that Ap4A has been postulated to regulate the initiation of DNA replication. However, in our opinion, experimental efforts designed to test this hypothesis do not conclusively link Ap4A to DNA replication. Work on the mechanism of stimulation of DNA synthesis in vitro indicates that Ap4A and a variety of adenylated nucleotides increase DNA synthetic rates by acting as primers. Thus far there is no evidence that this primer function plays a role in the initiation of normal DNA replication in vivo, or that Ap4A is unique in this capacity to stimulate initiation processes. Additional experiments have shown an association of partially purified DNA alpha polymerase with both tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase and a protein capable of binding Ap4A. The Ap4A-binding protein appears to be necessary for Ap4A to assume the correct conformation for priming, since physiological levels of Ap4A are not stimulatory for highly purified DNA alpha polymerase. The relevance of tRNA synthetases to the regulation hypothesis is their ability to produce Ap4A. Ironically, mammalian tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase does not appear to have this capacity. Furthermore, the association of alpha polymerase with either Ap4A-binding protein or tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase in vivo has not been conclusively demonstrated. Although Ap4A has been postulated to regulate many phenomena in eukaryotes and bacteria, such as entry into S phase and the response to oxygen deprivation, the links between Ap4A and these processes are still only circumstantial. It is tempting to extrapolate from the alarmone and stringent responses of bacteria to other systems, but these phenomena are not known to occur in eukaryotic cells. Similar deprivation and inhibition experiments in mammalian cells have been shown to stop growth at a synchronous position in cell cycle, and the Ap4A concentration has been found simply to vary accordingly. The addition or depletion of Ap4A from intracellular pools has not been shown to alter cell cycle. Therefore, while the speculation concerning the role of Ap4A in vivo is a good source of future experiments, at this point its role as an important regulatory compound is far from demonstrated.
Renewable microcolumns for automated DNA purification and flow-through amplification: from sediment samples through polymerase chain reaction

Abstract There is an increasing need for field-portable systems for the detection and characterization of microorganisms in the environment. Nucleic acids analysis is frequently the method of choice for discriminating between bacteria in complex systems, but standard protocols are difficult to automate and current microfluidic devices are not configured specifically for environmental sample analysis. In this report, we describe the development of an integrated DNA purification and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification system and demonstrate its use for the automated purification and amplification of Geobacter chapellei DNA (genomic DNA or plasmid targets) from sediments. The system includes renewable separation columns for the automated capture and release of microparticle purification matrices, and can be easily reprogrammed for new separation chemistries and sample types. The DNA extraction efficiency for the automated system ranged from 3 to 25%, depending on the length and concentration of the DNA target. The system was more efficient than batch capture methods for the recovery of dilute genomic DNA even though the reagent volumes were smaller than required for the batch procedure. The automated DNA concentration and purification module was coupled to a flow-through, Peltier-controlled DNA amplification chamber, and used to successfully purify and amplify genomic and plasmid DNA from sediment extracts. Cleaning protocols were also developed to allow reuse of the integrated sample preparation system, including the flow-through PCR tube.
Effect of increased repetition time TR on precision of inversion-recovery T(1) measurements.

Abstract The effect of increased repetition time, TR, on the precision of inversion-recovery measurements of the spin-lattice relaxation time, T 1 , was calculated theoretically, simulated numerically, and measured experimentally. All three methods yielded similar results. With constant inversion times, the T 1 precision was independent of TR. Therefore, 1) multiple-slice inversion-recovery fast-spin-echo T 1 maps should be made one slice at a time, not with interleaved acquisition, and 2) once the longest inversion time t i has been set, TR should be set just enough longer than the longest t i to allow data acquisition.
Ancestry and characterization of U.S. contemporary proprietary garden pea (Pisum sativum L. convar. medullare Alef.) germplasm

A major objective of this work is to elucidate the ancestry and genetic background of contemporary U.S. garden pea (Pisum sativum L. convar. medullare Alef.) cultivars used as cultivated vegetables. This is facilitated through pedigree analysis of 147 cultivars registered during the era from 1990 through 2010 by collecting data from U.S. Plant Variety Protection, U.S. utility patent, and journal publication. Proprietary breeding programs developed 141 cultivars and public programs six, with over half (82 of 147 cultivars) originating from the two (Seminis Vegetable Seeds, Inc. and Syngenta Seeds, Inc.) largest proprietary breeding programs. During this era, the semi-leafless (afila) trait was bred into cultivars to decrease lodging, and 43 % of the cultivars were afila. Registered cultivars were 86 % of determinate growth habit. Bi-parental breeding crosses were used in the development of 78 % of these cultivars. The lineages of the cultivars ‘Bolero’, ‘Spring’, ‘Genie’, and ‘Rally’ made large contributions to the genetic composition of this germplasm, ‘Bolero’ contributed 6.5 % (29 progeny), ‘Spring’ 6.4 % (29), ‘Genie’ 4.0 % (18), and ‘Rally’ 3.6 % (23) of the genes. The garden pea ancestor cultivar ‘Perfection’ fostered the most descendants (75) among the 147 cultivars of this era.
The Distal Helix in the Regulatory Domain of Calcineurin Is Important for Domain Stability and Enzyme Function

Calcineurin (CaN) is a calmodulin-activated, serine/threonine phosphatase that is necessary for cardiac, vasculature, and nervous system development, as well as learning and memory, skeletal muscle growth, and immune system activation. CaN is activated in a manner similar to that of the calmodulin (CaM)-activated kinases. CaM binds CaN’s regulatory domain (RD) and causes a conformational change that removes CaN’s autoinhibitory domain (AID) from its catalytic site, activating CaN. In the CaM-activated kinases, the CaM binding region (CaMBR) is located just C-terminal to the AID, whereas in CaN, the AID is 52 residues C-terminal to the CaMBR. Previously published data have shown that these 52 residues in CaN’s RD are disordered but approximately half of them gain structure, likely α-helical, upon CaM binding. In this work, we confirm that this increase in the level of structure is α-helical. We posit that this region forms an amphipathic helix upon CaM binding and folds onto the remainder of the RD:CaM com...
Compartment syndrome resulting from intravenous regional anesthesia

Three cases of iatrogenic compartment syndrome of the upper extremity are reported. Each was the result of the use of hypertonic saline solution in the administration of intravenous regional anesthesia. Two patients were left with residual problems after resolution of the compartment syndrome despite early surgical intervention in one of these cases. This mechanism may explain other previously reported occurrences of severe swelling in an extremity after intravenous regional anesthesia.
Obesity: Evaluation and treatment

Obesity as a chronic condition among large numbers of people is a disease of recent origin, often but by no means always associated with dietary habits and sedentary lifestyle. Many obese people want to lose weight, and may have tried to do so numerous times with self-help or proprietary weight-loss programs. When they seek a physician for help in losing weight-or when a physician advises an obese patient to lose weight as part of a clinical strategy-care must be taken to "match" the patient to an appropriate therapeutic program with appropriate therapeutic goals. History and physical examination and psychologic evaluation are essential elements of patient screening. Complications of obesity must be taken into account in any treatment plan. The multidisciplinary management strategy is most likely to succeed in helping the patient lose weight. It also avoids untoward events associated with complications or concomitant disease. The multidisciplinary approach is especially important when the patient does not lose weight, and alternative strategies must be considered, such as surgical approaches.
Idiopathic late-onset immunoglobulin deficiency: Clinical observations in 50 patients

Fifty patients with late-onset idiopathic immunoglobulin deficiency were studied and the frequency of various clinical associations and complications was observed. Men and women were equally affected, although the age at onset in men peaked in the third decade whereas it was more uniformly distributed in women. Sinobronchopulmonary infections were common and were caused by Haemophilus influenzae. Diplococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus: bronchiectasis occurred in 28 per cent. Thirty patients (60 per cent) had diarrhea, which was often associated with steatorrhea, giardiasis, achlorhydria, abnormal Schilling tests and morphologic abnormalities on small bowel biopsy specimens, including nodular lymphoid hyperplasia; three patients had pernicious anemia. In the 20 patients without diarrhea these abnormalities were not observed except for giardiasis in one patient and achlorhydria in two patients. Cholelithiasis occurred in both groups in about a third of the patients tested. A high degree of susceptibility to neoplasia was noted. Thyroid abnormalities, including primary hypothyroidism and Graves' disease, were observed in six patients. Additional occasional findings were vitiligo, keratoconjunctivitis sicca and arthritis. Splenomegaly occurred in 14 (28 per cent) patients. The percentage of B lymphocytes in the blood was determined in 10 patients; it was normal or slightly decreased in eight patients and low in two patients.
Dynamic Appointment Scheduling of a Stochastic Server with Uncertain Demand

We formulate and solve two new stochastic linear programming formulations of appointment scheduling problems that are motivated by the management of health services. We assume that service durations and the number of customers to be served on a particular day are uncertain. In the first model, customers may fail to show up for their appointments “no-show”. This model is formulated as a two-stage stochastic linear program. In the second model, customers are scheduled dynamically, one at a time, as they request appointments. This model is formulated as a multistage stochastic linear program with stages defined by customer appointment requests. We analyze the structure of the models and adapt decomposition-based algorithms to solve the problems efficiently. We present numerical results that illustrate the impact of uncertainty on dynamic appointment scheduling, and we identify useful insights that can be applied in practice. We also present a case study based on real data for an outpatient procedure center.
New leptons and old lepton numbers

Abstract We discuss, within the framework of SU(2) × U(1) gauge theories, possible relationships between the new leptons and the old ones. The importance of the radiative decays U− → e−γ and U− → μ−γ in experimentally determining these relationships is stressed. Kinematics and signatures for these decays in colliding beam experiments are worked out. Several illustrative lepton models are presented and analyzed. In certain models the radiative decay may in fact be the dominant mode.
Antipsychotics in children and adolescents.

ABSTRACT Objectives To present a critical overview of the available evidence for the efficacy and safety of antipsychotic agents in children and adolescents and to identify knowledge gaps and needs for further research. Data from adults that are relevant to children are discussed. Method Mainly reports of doubleblind, placebo-controlled studies were reviewed. Results In children and adolescents, antipsychotics are used to treat psychotic and a variety of nonpsychotic conditions. The amount of data based on well-designed, doubleblind, placebo-controlled studies with satisfactory sample sizes in diagnostically homogeneous subjects is modest. Conclusions Currently available standard antipsychotics have a definite role in the treatment of children and adolescents. The use of these agents is limited mainly by tardive and withdrawal dyskinesias and, in some patients, by excessive sedation. The atypical antipsychotics should be critically assessed and compared with psychosocial interventions; if effective, the combination of both types of treatments should be evaluated.
Sensitivity of photodissociation rate coefficients and O3photochemical tendencies to aerosols and clouds

[1] We examine the sensitivity of the daily integrated photodissociation rate (DIPR) coefficients of O 3 (O 1 D) and NO 2 , the daily averaged O 3 photochemical tendency, and OH concentration to variations of clouds and of four aerosol components: black carbon (BC), mineral dust, sea salt, and sulfate. Clouds and BC aerosols are found to be the most important. A comparison between the sensitivity study and some representative observations showed that the global average cloud reduction of DIPR at the surface level is ∼20% and it is ∼30% in storm track zones. At the surface level the average negative BC impact is ∼10% in urban areas and could reach ∼40% in some heavily polluted urban areas. Mineral dust aerosol, which is the next most important, can reduce the photochemistry at the surface level by over 17% in some seasons over the desert or along its long-range transport paths. The negative impact of sulfate aerosols is around 2% at the surface level, and the impact is as positive as 4% at the top of the sulfate aerosol layer in some urban areas. BC, sulfate, and mineral dust all have much smaller impacts away from their source regions. The impact of sea-salt aerosol is generally less than 1%. While the fractional impacts on O 3 production and destruction and OH concentration do not depend much on NO x , the magnitude of the impact on O 3 chemical tendency and OH concentration depends strongly on the concentration of NO x : When NO x is very low, the impacts are also very small even if DIPRs are strongly affected. Different mixing states of absorbing and scattering aerosol components, external, coating, and internal, are studied. It is found that with the same amount of each component, the external mixing state produces the weakest impact while the internal mixing state produces the strongest impact. Coating has almost the same impact as internal mixing. There is very little synergy between cloud and absorbing aerosols when clouds are located above the aerosol. The aerosol absorption is strengthened when clouds and aerosol are located in the same layer. The synergy is strong when clouds are located below the absorbing aerosol, where the impact of absorbing aerosol dominates.
College-bound high-school graduates of 1972 and 1980 compared by college major

College enrollments are shown to have increased since the 1970s for majors in computer science, engineering, and business, and to have decreased for the biological and social sciences, the humanities, and education. In both the 1970s and the 1980s, high average levels of high-school achievement are observed for declared college majors in science and engineering fields. Education and business majors display records of relatively low average levels of achievement in high school, as do college dropouts, whatever their college major.
Prostaglandin E2 restores cancellous bone to immobilized limb and adds bone to overloaded limb in right hindlimb immobilization rats.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) can restore cancellous bone mass and architecture to osteopenic, continuously immobilized (IM), proximal tibial metaphysis (PTM) in female rats. The right hindlimb of three and one-half-month-old Sprague-Dawley female rats were immobilized by right hindlimb immobilization (RHLI) in which the right hindlimb was underloaded and the contralateral left limb was overloaded during ambulation. After 4 or 12 weeks of RHLI, the rats were treated with 3 or 6 mg PGE2/kg/day and RHLI for 8 or 16 weeks. Bone histomorphometry was performed on microradiographs of PTM. Immobilization (IM) induced a transient cancellous bone loss and decreased trabecular thickness, number and node density, and increased free end density that established a new steady state after 4 weeks of IM. Three or 6 mg PGE2/kg/d for 8 weeks beginning at 4 or 12 weeks of IM completely restored cancellous bone mass (+127 to +188 percent) and structure to the age-related control levels in spite of continuous IM. Another 8 weeks of treatment maintained bone mass and architecture at these levels. No differences in cancellous bone mass and architecture were found between the overloaded PTM or RHLI rats and the age-related controls. However, 3 and 6 mg/kg/d of PGE2 treatment started at 4 or 12 weeks for 8 weeks significantly increased cancellous bone mass in the overloaded PTM (+45 to +74% of untreated controls), and another 8 weeks of treatment maintained bone mass at these levels. Our findings indicate that daily 3 or 6 mg PGE2/kg/d treatment restores and maintains PTM cancellous bone mass in continuously immobilized (right) tibiae, and adds and maintains extra bone to slightly overloaded PTM cancellous bone in female rats.
Gauge transformations in stochastic quantum electrodynamics

Invariance of the S-matrix of ordinary quantum electrodynamics under gauge transformations of the electromagnetic field is demonstrated explicitly. The behavior of the S-matrix of stochastic quantum electrodynamics is examined under gauge transformations of the mean value electromagnetic fieldAπ(x;L). This stochastic S-matrix is not strictly gauge invariant, to the same degree that the theory fails to satisfy micro-causality.
Modeling of ion channels.

Modeling of biological ion channels has a long history, going back more then 100 yr ([Hille 1984][1]). In the old, premolecular biology era, interpretation of these simple models provided the primary source of information about channel structure. As molecular biology and, now, x-ray diffraction have
Gauging Molecular Interactions between Substrates and Adsorbates. Substrate Mediation of Surface-Bound Chromophore Vibronic Coupling

We have studied the steady-state and time-resolved optical response of substituted pyrene chromophores in solution and tethered to dielectric, doped semiconductor, and metallic substrates. The stea...
Sense of belonging: A vital mental health concept

Sense of belonging is a concept that has not been researched in psychiatric nursing practice. Using a concept-analysis strategy proposed by Waker and Avant, the authors present a detaiied description of the concept that evoived horn a series of inductive and deductive strategies. Sense of belonging is defined as the experience of personal involvement in a system or environment so that persons feel themselves to be an integral part of that system or environment. Sense of belonging has important appticabiiity for clinical use as weii as continued theory development in psychiatric nursing. Copgrtght 0 1992 bg W.B. Saunders Company
Fibronectin synthesis and degradation in human fibroblasts with aging

Abstract Fibronectin was measured in early and late passaged human skin fibroblasts utilizing immunoprecipitation and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A progressive increase in the rate of fibronectin and total cellular protein synthesis per cell was observed by late passaged human diploid fibroblasts. The absolute protein concentration increased in the late passaged fibroblasts. There was no significant difference in the [3H]leucine incorporation into fibronectin or total cellular protein/mg protein. The turnover of fibronectin and total cellular protein did not differ between early and late passaged fibroblasts. The transport of fibronectin to the cell membrane was similar in late passaged fibroblasts. The increased fibronectin synthesis in senescent fibroblasts appeared to correlate with the general increase rate of protein synthesis/cell.
Bayesian analysis of agricultural drainage problems in California's San Joaquin valley

Abstract Bayesian network analysis was found to be an effective way of avoiding the problems of inconsistent and attitudinal deduction rules that often characterize traditional expert systems. Key experts and decision makers on the management of saline and toxic irrigation drainage in California's San Joaquin Valley have widely different and strongly attitudinal causal explanations of the drainage problem. It is therefore impossible to design a deduction method for solving the problem on the basis of individual expert rules. Bayesian analysis of the network of aggregated expert rules redefines the drainage problem. The inconsistencies and attitudes found in individual experts' problem definitions are in the Bayesian approach direct indicators of potential remedies. According to the analysis, a systemic decision-making dilemma persuades drainage experts to avoid action toward a long-term, Valley-wide drainage solution for the sake of short-term organizational and political benefits. Since the organizational and political context is outside the immediate domain of knowledge of drainage experts, the dilemma has consistently escaped effective remedies. Any techno-economic intervention in San Joaquin Valley's drainage management should therefore be facilitated by simultaneous administrative restructuring of California's drainage authority.
Charged-particle beams as gravitoelectric antennas

We compute the electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by a scalar charge moving uniformly in a gravitational-wave background. We give closed-form differential cross-sections which are valid for any velocity of the charge and for any direction of incidence of the gravitational wave. The results indicate that a charged-particle beam may be used in principle as a direction-sensitive gravitational-wave antenna.
Highly ordered MnO₂ nanopillars for enhanced supercapacitor performance

This report demonstrates a simple, but efficient method to print highly ordered nanopillars without the use of sacrificial templates or any expensive equipment. The printed polymer structure is used as a scaffold to deposit electrode material (manganese dioxide) for making supercapacitors. The simplicity of the fabrication method together with superior power density and energy density make this supercapacitor electrode very attractive for the next-generation energy storage systems.
Unmasking of PML by HAART: Unusual clinical features and the role of IRIS

For patients with HIV/AIDS, highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is currently the only effective therapy for progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a viral-induced demyelinating disease caused by polyomavirus JC. Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) following initiation of HAART can cause paradoxical clinical deterioration in patients with established PML. Because the onset of PML follows soon after initiation of HAART in some cases (unmasking), we investigated the role IRIS plays in unmasked PML. We reviewed records of 20 PML cases seen from 1997–2006 at the UCSD HIV primary care clinic. Eight cases presented with PML symptoms within 6 months of initiating HAART (referred to hereafter as unmasked PML), six patients were diagnosed with PML before initiating HAART, and six were diagnosed more than 6 months after starting HAART. Patients with unmasked PML constituted forty percent of our series, had relatively long survival, and commonly (50%) had lesions exclusively in the posterior fossa, a localization not previously reported with such a high prevalence. Only 3 of the 8 patients with unmasked PML had IRIS reactions as evidenced by contrast enhancement around lesions on MRI, suggesting that IRIS is not necessary for the pathogenesis of this syndrome.
301 Intraventricular Haemorrhage on the Left Side of the Brain Induces Left-Handedness

Background: Prematurely born children are more often left-handed than their term born peers. It is unknown if this excess left-handedness, a marker for the extent of cerebral lateralisation, is caused by cerebral lesions.