cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Water use by mature and sapling western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) Trees

Abstract A common argument for western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) control in Oregon is the amount of water saved due to reduction in the number of trees. Yet a good understanding of water use by mature trees and sapling regrowth following mature juniper removal has not been documented. Such information is important to better assess how much water can be saved by juniper control. We used sap flow sensors to monitor water use by mature juniper in a control area and saplings in an area where juniper control occurred in 2005. Sap flow data collected between May 2017 and Sep 2019 showed the period of highest water use was in the summer, although this varied each year. In July 2017 (wettest yr of the study), mature trees used 144 L/d, approximately twice as much as in the average of July 2018 and 2019 (dry yr). During the period of maximum water uptake, mature trees used between 45 and 69 times more water than saplings depending on precipitation and, consequently, soil water availability. In summary, 1) juniper water use varies greatly with precipitation and 2) because of the large difference between mature and sapling trees, juniper control results in considerable water savings, even after a 14-yr period of juniper regrowth.
The cell polarity kinase Par1b/MARK2 activation selects specific NF-kB transcripts via phosphorylation of core mediator Med17/TRAP80.

In addition to their function in apico-basal polarity, kinases such as MARK2 modulate innate immunity in epithelial cells. MARK2 phosphorylates 152Ser-Med17 downstream of aPKC modulating more than ...
On the correlation between building heat demand and wind energy supply and how it helps to avoid blackouts

Abstract Keeping the electric and heat grids stable is the major challenge facing the world as it transitions away from fossil fuels to electricity and heat provided by wind, water, and sunlight (WWS). Because building heating and cooling demands and wind and solar energy supplies both depend on the same weather, building demands should be modeled consistently with renewable supplies. However, no model to date has calculated future thermal loads consistently with future renewable supplies. Here, a global weather/climate model is used to do this. Grid stability in 24 world regions encompassing 143 countries is then examined. Low cost solutions are found everywhere. Building heat loads are found to correlate strongly with wind energy supply aggregated over large, cold regions. Moderate correlations are found elsewhere, except no correlation is found in some tropical islands and some small countries. Thus, wind energy in most climates can help to meet seasonal heat loads, thereby helping to reduce the cost of energy. Finally, wind and solar power supplies are negatively correlated, indicating that wind and solar are complementary in nature and should both be built, where feasible, to reduce output variability arising from installing only one of them.
Ofatumumab and Tocilizumab Desensitization in a Highly Sensitized Recipient: A Case Report

Introduction Sensitization is a challenge in heart transplant recipients, often increasing wait time and decreasing access to acceptable organs. We present a case of a highly sensitized 47-year-old female listed for re-do heart and kidney transplant who was desensitized utilizing ofatumumab and tocilizumab. Case Report The patient received her first heart transplant in 1992 (induction muromonab-CD3) for viral cardiomyopathy at an outside hospital; in 2015 she was treated for antibody mediated rejection with plasma exchange (PLEX), intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and bortezomib. She later developed cardiac allograft vasculopathy. In 2018 she was brought to our center with cardiogenic shock and worsening renal function, required dual inotropic support, and evaluated and listed for a re-do heart and kidney transplant. Her peak PRA was 90% with several class I and II antibodies. She underwent desensitization therapy with PLEX, IVIG (2 g/kg), ofatumumab (1 dose), and monthly tocilizumab (3 doses). No adverse drug events were reported during therapy. Her PRA remained persistently ∼90%; MFI trends of her antibodies are presented in Figure 1. After her 3rd tocilizumab dose she received an offer which was crossmatch negative and no pre-existing antibodies. She received basiliximab induction and maintenance immunosuppression of tacrolimus, mycophenolate, and prednisone. During the 1 year follow-up post-transplant, she had excellent graft function with ejection fraction >60%, serum creatinine Summary Desensitization with ofatumumab and tocilizumab resulted in successful heart and kidney transplantation. Although PRA and MFI of pre-existing antibodies were not significantly altered, this regimen may have been helpful in reducing de novo donor specific antibodies and preventing acute rejection post-transplant.
Ileal derived organoids from Crohns disease patients show unique transcriptomic and secretomic signatures

Background: We used patient derived organoids (PDOs) to study the epithelial-specific transcriptional and secretome signatures of the ileum during CD with varying phenotypes to screen for disease profiles and potential druggable targets. Methods: RNA sequencing was performed on isolated intestinal crypts and 3-week-old PDOs derived from ileal biopsies of CD patients (n= 8 B1, inflammatory; n= 8 B2, stricturing disease) and non-IBD controls (n= 13). Differentially expressed (DE) genes were identified by comparing CD vs control, B1 vs B2, and inflamed vs non-inflamed. DE genes were used for computational screening to find candidate small molecules that could potentially reverse B1and B2 gene signatures. The secretome of a second cohort (n= 6 non-IBD controls, n=7 CD; 5 non-inflamed, 2 inflamed) was tested by Luminex using cultured organoid conditioned media. Results: We found a 90% similarity in both the identity and abundance of protein coding genes between PDOs and intestinal crypts (15,554 transcripts of 19,900 genes). DE analysis identified 814 genes among disease group (CD vs non-IBD control), 470 genes different between the CD phenotypes, and 5 FDR significant genes between inflamed and non-inflamed CD. The PDOs showed both similarity and diversity in the levels and types of soluble cytokines and growth factors they released. Perturbagen analysis revealed potential candidate compounds to reverse B2 disease phenotype to B1 in PDOs. Conclusion: PDOs are similar at the transcriptome level with the in vivo epithelium and retain disease-specific gene expression for which we have identified secretome products, druggable targets and corresponding pharmacological agents. Targeting the epithelium could reverse a stricturing phenotype and improve outcomes.
A new method for alignment of LC-MALDI-TOF data

In proteomics studies, liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) has proven to be a powerful technology to investigate differential expression of proteins/peptides that are characterized by their peak intensities, mass-to-charge ratio (m/z), and retention time (RT). The variable complexity of peptide mixtures and occasional drifts leads to substantial variations in m/z and RT dimensions. Thus, label-free differential protein expression studies by LC-MS technology require alignment with respect to both RT and m/z to ensure that same proteins/peptides are compared from multiple runs. In this study, we propose a new strategy to align LC-MALDI-TOF data by combining quality threshold cluster analysis and support vector regression. Our method performs alignment on the basis of measurements in three dimensions (RT, m/z, intensity). We demonstrate the suitability of our proposed method for alignment of LC-MALDI-TOF data through a previously published spike-in dataset and a new in-house generated spike-in dataset. A comparison of our method with other methods that utilize only RT and m/z dimensions reveals that the use of intensity measurements enhances alignment performance.
Understanding computer basics.

Ask 10 people what a computer is, and you will get 10 different answers. But ask those same 10 people how a computer works, and you will get some blank looks. If you are not quite sure how your computer works, now is the time to learn. The better you understand your computer, the better you will use it.
The Relationship Between Osteoarthritis, Hip Arthroplasty, and Post-Operative Ambulation Distances

Osteoarthritis, total hip replacements, and post-operative ambulation distances are three interrelated concepts that lead patients from diagnosis, to intervention, and to the first indications of recovery post-operatively. The purpose of the project was to quantify the ambulation distances of patients with one of three surgical approaches for total hip replacements (THR). The timeframe for measurement was from the day of surgery (day 0) through the second post-operative day (POD 2) comparing different surgical approaches with length of ambulation distances. Pre-operative elective joint replacement educational classes, may play a role in post-operative recovery, which provided the rationale for including them in this project. Electronic health records of 20 patients from each of the three surgical approaches (anterior, posterior, and lateral), were retrieved; data regarding the ambulation distances were averaged for each surgical approach. The results revealed no advantage, in terms of average ambulation distance, of one surgical approach over another. All members of the healthcare team strive to provide patient centered, quality care in the most fiscally responsible manner. Increasing post-operative ambulation distances after a THR may contribute to earlier discharge and economic benefit to the healthcare system. A replication study with a larger sample may yield additional findings and guide the advanced nurse practitioner in developing an evidence based approach to post-operative care of THR patients.
A comparison between experiments and fem predictions for blowtorch reflow of fused silica micro-shell resonators

We report a non-isothermal model and FEM results for prediction of geometries of fused silica micro-shell resonators fabricated by blowtorch molding process. The model is successfully applied to investigate the production details of 3-D hemi-ellipsoidal shells of revolutions with eccentricity, such as bird-bath shell resonators. The advantages of the present numerical model are that the shell geometry and thickness can be optimized by changing different fabrication parameters such as surface heat flux, conductivity of mold material and initial temperature of the mold. The model brings out the blowtorch molding capabilities and limitations for fabrication of hollow 3-D shell resonators.
Hydrolysis of cyclic guanosine and adenosine 3',5'-monophosphates by rat and bovine tissues

Abstract An assay for measuring 3',5'-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity over a wide range of substrate concentrations has been described. The ratio of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) to cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic GMP) hydrolysis varied several fold among crude subcellular fractions from bovine and rat heart when measured at micromolar but not millimolar substrate. In rat brain, liver or skeletal muscle, this ratio was virtually the same in crude subcellular fractions as in the homogenate when determined at either micromolar or millimolar substrate. A partially purified phosphodiesterase from the bovine heart supernatant had apparent Km values of 1 to 3 µm for cyclic GMP and 25 to 45 µm for cyclic AMP. Cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP interfered with the hydrolysis of each other in a manner predictable on the basis of their apparent Km values, suggesting that this bovine heart preparation contained only a single phosphodiesterase. However, in a crude liver supernatant cyclic GMP stimulated rather than inhibited cyclic AMP hydrolysis. A crude particulate fraction from bovine heart had two apparent Km values for cyclic AMP of about 0.8 and 25 µm. Most, if not all, of the cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase activity in this fraction had an apparent Km of about 20 µm. Data obtained using the partially purified bovine heart enzyme indicate that both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP can serve as substrates for a single enzyme. However, differences in the ratios of hydrolysis of the two nucleotides among subcellular fractions and kinetic data suggest the existence of more than one 3',5'-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase within a tissue. Whether these phosphodiesterase activities have relative substrate preferences or whether one or more might have specific substrate requirements has not been established.
A longitudinal study of children's juice intake and growth: the juice controversy revisited

Abstract Objectives To determine associations between children's longitudinal juice intake and growth parameters at age 72 months and to determine children's beverage intake patterns over time. Subjects/setting White children (n=72) residing in the vicinity of a Southern US city participated in a longitudinal study. Methods Seven in-home interviews were conducted per child when each child was between 24 and 72 months of age. The 7 sets of 3-day dietary data were analyzed for beverage intake, categorized as juice (100% juice only), milk, carbonated beverages, and other drinks (eg, lemonade, tea, juice drinks). The following growth parameters were determined for each child at age 72 months: height, weight, body mass index (measured as kg/m 2 ), and ponderal index (measured as kg/m 3 ); the 3 latter are measures of overweight. Statistical analyses Associations between longitudinal juice intake and each growth parameter were tested with general linear models. Repeated measures analysis of variance tested changes in beverage intakes over time. Results There were no statistically significant associations between juice and children's height, weight, or body mass index, as tested by general linear models. Children's longitudinal juice intake was negatively related to ponderal index (β=0.065, P =.050). Children's juice intake decreased significantly between ages 2 and 6 years, from 6.8 to 3.6 oz/day ( P =.0001); intakes of carbonated beverages and other drinks increased from 1.7 to 3.8 oz/day ( P =.0016) and from 2.7 to 6.2 oz/day ( P =.0001), respectively. Applications/conclusions Children's longitudinal juice intake was not associated with either short stature or overweight. As juice consumption decreased, intakes of less nutritious beverages increased. Consumption of 100% juices should be encouraged by health professionals and parents/caregivers. J Am Diet Assoc. 2001; 101:432-437 .
A High Performance Liquid-Nitrogen CMOS SRAM Technology

A 3.5 ns ECL-compatible 64Kb liquid-nitrogen CMOS (LN-CMOS) SRAM technology with 2.5V power-supply voltage is described. Key features of this high performance 0.5?m-channel LN-CMOS SRAM technology optimized for 77K operation include 0.6,?m optical lithography for the gate level, dual polysilicon work functions, retrograde n-well, low resistance arsenic and boron source/drain diffusions, self-aligned titanium silicide, and two-level metal interconnects. For the first time, the leverage of liquid nitrogen CMOS with 2.3X chip level performance improvement at 77K over room temperature CMOS is demonstrated.
Tres ratones ciegos : Goodman, McLuhan y Adorno sobre el arte de la música y del escuchar en la época de la transmisión global

Este ensayo investiga el discurso global a la sombra de la decada de 1960. Se basa en los puntos de vista de Nelson Goodman, Marshall McLuhan y Theodor W. Adorno para explorar tres conceptos centrales para la musica en la epoca de la transmision global: concordancia, corriente y virtualidad.
Validation study of 3-D reconstruction of coronary arteries

A semiautomated system was reported which takes two or more views of electrocardiogram (ECG) correlated coronary angiograms and produces a 3-D tree structure containing positions and cross-sectional areas of the reconstructed vascular bed. The system was tested using four different phantoms. These phantoms either are constructed so that at least one of the parameters under evaluation is precisely known, or is carefully measured using multiple techniques. The evaluation methods and results are presented. Experiments using complex coronary artery phantoms show that for the system under evaluation, subpixel accuracy can be achieved in reconstructing vessel lumen radii using two or three views. >
Software transformations for sequential test generation

This paper presents software (model) transformations that can be used to effectively generate high fault coverage test sets. Unlike synthesis or design for testability methods which involve hardware modifications, this approach does not modify the hardware design. Instead, it transforms a software model of the design into a new software model that has desirable testability properties. A sequential test generator generates tests for the new model. The new model may not be functionally equivalent to the original design but our transformations guarantee that the tests generated for the new model can always be inverse mapped to serve as tests for the original design. Experimental results show that significantly high fault coverage can be achieved by using this approach.
A functional update of the Escherichia coli K-12 genome

Since the genome of Escherichia coli K-12 was initially annotated in 1997, additional functional information based on biological characterization and functions of sequence-similar proteins has become available. On the basis of this new information, an updated version of the annotated chromosome has been generated. The E. coli K-12 chromosome is currently represented by 4,401 genes encoding 116 RNAs and 4,285 proteins. The boundaries of the genes identified in the GenBank Accession U00096 were used. Some protein-coding sequences are compound and encode multimodular proteins. The coding sequences (CDSs) are represented by modules (protein elements of at least 100 amino acids with biological activity and independent evolutionary history). There are 4,616 identified modules in the 4,285 proteins. Of these, 48.9% have been characterized, 29.5% have an imputed function, 2.1% have a phenotype and 19.5% have no function assignment. Only 7% of the modules appear unique to E. coli, and this number is expected to be reduced as more genome data becomes available. The imputed functions were assigned on the basis of manual evaluation of functions predicted by BLAST and DARWIN analyses and by the MAGPIE genome annotation system. Much knowledge has been gained about functions encoded by the E. coli K-12 genome since the 1997 annotation was published. The data presented here should be useful for analysis of E. coli gene products as well as gene products encoded by other genomes.
Criteria for definition of overweight in transition: background and recommendations for the United States

Overweight and obesity are leading nutrition-related disorders of clinical and public health concern. Assessment and classification of these conditions are dependent on specific body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)) cutoff points. US government agencies are making the transition to a revised BMI definition of overweight from that previously recommended for general use. The purpose of this article is to inform the broader medical and scientific communities of the transition that is underway in the United States to identify and classify overweight among adults by using BMI. Historical background on the use of BMI in a variety of applications, as reported in US federal government agency documents, provides an understanding of previous and current weight-for-height guidelines and the basis for arriving at them. On the basis of the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, US government agencies are moving toward the use of criteria for overweight and obesity that are consistent with current international standards. Clinicians, researchers, and journal editors should be aware of the transition toward a common definition of healthy weight, overweight, and obesity. To facilitate comparisons and reporting of data, others are encouraged to consider making this transition as well.
High performance and eco-friendly chitosan hydrogel membrane electrolytes for direct borohydride fuel cells

Abstract Novel, cost-effective, and environmentally benign polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) consisting of ionically cross-linked chitosan (CS) hydrogel is reported for direct borohydride fuel cells (DBFCs). The membranes have been prepared by ionic cross-linking of CS with sulfate and hydrogen phosphate salts of sodium. Use of Na 2 SO 4 and Na 2 HPO 4 as cross-linking agents in the preparation of ionically cross-linked CS hydrogel membrane electrolytes (ICCSHMEs) not only enhances cost-effectiveness but also environmental friendliness of fuel cell technologies. The DBFCs have been assembled with a composite of nickel and carbon-supported palladium as anode catalyst, carbon-supported platinum as cathode catalyst and ICCSHMEs as electrolytes-cum-separators. The DBFCs have been studied by using an aqueous alkaline solution of sodium borohydride as fuel in flowing mode using a peristaltic pump and oxygen as oxidant. A maximum peak power density of about 810 mW cm −2 has been achieved for the DBFC employing Na 2 HPO 4 -based ICCSHME and operating at a cell temperature of 70 °C.
US Low‐Risk Drinking Guidelines: An Examination of Four Alternatives

Background: This study compared four sets of US low-risk drinking guidelines (two interpretations of the US Dietary Guidelines and two variations of the NIAAA physicians’ guidelines) in terms of adherence and how well they predicted five different alcohol-related outcomes. Methods: Using data from a nationally representative sample of 17,542 US adults 21 years of age and over who drank 12 or more drinks in the past year, this study assessed the sensitivity, specificity, overall accuracy, positive and negative predictive values, and odds ratios of the various drinking guidelines (specifically, of having exceeded them with different degrees of frequency) as predictors of alcohol dependence, impaired driving, liver disease, peptic ulcer, and hypertension. Results: The proportions of past-year regular drinkers exceeding the four sets of guidelines varied from 20.9%, whose average intake exceeded the weekly limits, to between 21.0% and 42.7% who exceeded the daily guidelines at least once a week, and to between 69.2% and 94.2% who ever exceeded the daily limits in the year preceding the interview. Sensitivity and odds ratios were highest for the ever exceeding the Dietary Guidelines daily limits, intermediate for ever exceeding the two variations based on the NIAAA physicians’ guidelines, and lowest for exceeding the Dietary Guidelines interpreted as weekly limits. The opposite pattern was observed for specificity and overall predictive accuracy. When frequently exceeding the daily limits was considered, their sensitivity declined but their specificity and positive predictive value increased. Conclusions: If sensitivity and specificity are deemed equally important, the NIAAA physicians’ guidelines incorporating both daily and weekly limits seem to do the best job of balancing these dimensions in the prediction of a variety of alcohol-related outcomes.
Parasitic health of olive baboons in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda

This study examined the endoparasite load of a group of olive baboons (Papio cynocephalus anubis) that share their habitat with a population of mountain gorillas (Gorilla gorilla berengei) in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. During a 2-week period in June 2002, shared habitat was substantiated by noting the ranging patterns of both species and recording observations and trail remains with a global positioning system (GPS). Parasite load was determined by collecting fecal samples preserved in 10% formalin and analyzed by sedimentation techniques and immunofluorescent antibodies (IFA). Bwindi baboons were infected with Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Eimeria, Ascaris spp., Strongyloides spp., Trichuris spp., Hymenolepis spp., and Ternidens diminuta. Of these, the Bwindi mountain gorillas had previously been found to carry Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Strongyloides spp., and Trichuris spp., but not Eimeria, Ascaris, Hymenolepis, or T. diminuta. This study is the first to record Giardia in olive baboons and demonstrates that at least three parasite species in Bwindi baboons have yet to be found in Bwindi gorillas. Early monitoring is essential to the health and well being of both of these sympatric primate species, especially as they continue to interact more often and over a larger area.
Use and optimization of a dual-flowrate loading strategy to maximize throughput in protein-a affinity chromatography

The effect of an alternate strategy employing two different flowrates during loading was explored as a means of increasing system productivity in Protein-A chromatography. The effect of such a loading strategy was evaluated using a chromatographic model that was able to accurately predict experimental breakthrough curves for this Protein-A system. A gradient-based optimization routine is carried out to establish the optimal loading conditions (initial and final flowrates and switching time). The two-step loading strategy (using a higher flowrate during the initial stages followed by a lower flowrate) was evaluated for an Fc-fusion protein and was found to result in significant improvements in process throughput. In an extension of this optimization routine, dynamic loading capacity and productivity were simultaneously optimized using a weighted objective function, and this result was compared to that obtained with the single flowrate. Again, the dual-flowrate strategy was found to be superior.
Parallel electron energy-loss spectroscopy free from gain variation

A new method is presented for removing the effect of the gain variation of parallel detectors used for the quantitation of trace elements with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). Use of the ratio of two first-difference spectra eliminates the effect of gain variation of the detector, therefore eliminating the need for gain normalization and dark current subtraction. This method is particularly suitable for revealing small signals superimposed on a large background, a typical scenario for trace element quantitation of both biological and inorganic materials. This method has been tested on a system with a cooled CCD camera as the parallel detector and illustrated by the analysis of low concentration Ca in an organic matrix. The method is expected to be generally applicable to spectral analysis affected by gain variations of parallel detectors.
The Brief History of Personnel Counseling in Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Abstract Although personnel counseling was once considered to be at the cutting edge of psychology applied to the workplace, the practice has been virtually ignored in historical treatments of the field. This article tells the story of the rise and fall of personnel counseling in organizations. The contributions of Elton Mayo and the Hawthorne research team to the intellectual foundations of personnel counseling are described, and the characteristics of counseling programs in the 1940s and 1950s are examined. Finally, the legacy of personnel counseling and the historical role of mental health in industrial-organizational psychology are discussed.
Whose closure? Appearances, temporality, and mineral extraction in Papua New Guinea

In this article I explore community ideas about mine closure as they are informed by history, memory, and imagined futures. I argue that, through their aesthetic qualities, practices such as mining remain persuasive long after their dissolution. Biangai-speakers (Morobe province, Papua New Guinea) have worked for miners during colonial gold rushes since the mid-1920s, and many more have tried their hands at artisanal mining along the Bulolo and its tributaries. Such events continue to inform aspirations for development and ideas about what development should look like. This article argues for attention to be paid to the appearances of the past in order to acknowledge the attractive hold that historical actions, events, practices, and so on, retain on post-mining (and post-development) communities. Such qualities of the past, distilled in the contours of the land and contemporary discourses about development, continue to motivate the folding of the past into present practices. Resume L’auteur explore ici les idees sur la fermeture de mines, en tant qu’elles sont informees par l’histoire, la memoire et un futur imagine. Il avance qu’a travers leurs qualites esthetiques, des pratiques telles que l’exploitation miniere restent presentes tres longtemps apres leur disparition. Les Biangai (dans la province de Morobe, en Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinee) ont travaille pour les compagnies minieres pendant les ruees vers l’or de l’epoque coloniale, a partir du milieu des annees 1920, et se sont eux aussi essayes a une exploitation artisanale le long du Bulolo et de ses affluents. De tels evenements contribuent a informer les aspirations au developpement et les idees de ce que devrait etre ce developpement. Le present article plaide pour que l’on accorde de l’attention aux apparences du passe, afin de tenir compte de l’attrait exerce par les actions, evenements, pratiques historiques et autres sur les communautes post-minieres (et post-developpement). Ces qualites du passe, qui impregnent les paysages et les discours contemporains sur le developpement, favorisent une imbrication du passe dans les pratiques presentes.
The impact of social class and parental maltreatment on the cognitive functioning of children

The purpose of the present investigation was to compare the cognitive functioning of maltreated children with two groups of nonmaltreated children: those matched for age and SES and those matched only on age. All of the children ranged in age from 6 to 16 years. The rationale for employing two comparison groups was to examine the role of maltreatment and SES separately to determine which factor, if any, is associated with children's cognitive functioning. Additionally, the present investigation sought to expand on previous work by employing both global measures of cognitive functioning (WISC-R) as well as measures designed to tap specific abilities (e.g., selective attention, short-term memory). Results indicate that maltreated children demonstrated deficits in cognitive functioning but that these are no more pervasive than those found in children from the same low socioeconomic backgrounds. These findings suggest that it may be deprived family circumstances common in maltreating families, not maltreatment per se, that is responsible for the cognitive deficits often noted in maltreated children.
Vancomycin-resistant enterococcal infections: cause for concern?

Objectives: To determine the economic and clinical outcomes associated with infection with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) and to compare these outcomes to those associated with infection with vancomycin-sensitive Enterococcus (VSE). Methods: During a 3-month, prospective, cohort study of 117 high-risk, critically ill patients we collected complete clinical and demographic and ICU cost data from all patients during their ICU stays. Results: After adjusting for variables in a stepwise multiple regression model VRE infections were associated with a median attributable increased ICU cost per patient of $33,251 (38,088 euros) and an increased length of hospital stay (LOS) of 22 days, while VSE infections were associated with an increased cost of $21,914 (25,102 euros) and an increased LOS of 27 days. The effect of VRE and VSE infections were not significantly different. Over the entire cohort the attributable cost per ICU patient day associated with VRE infection was $304 (348 euros). Conclusions: The attributable cost of ICU care associated with VRE infection is $33,251 (38,088 euros) and per ICU patient day was $304 (348 euros). VRE and VSE infections do not differ in associated cost of ICU care, LOS, or mortality. Any VRE control strategy is cost-effective if the overall cost per ICU patient-day is less than $304 (348 euros).
Differentiating the Influences of Aging and Adiposity on Brain Weights, Levels of Serum and Brain Cytokines, Gastrointestinal Hormones, and Amyloid Precursor Protein

Aging and obesity exert important effects on disease. Differentiating these effects is difficult, however, because weight gain often accompanies aging. Here, we used a nested design of aged, calorically restricted, and refed rats to measure changes in brain and blood levels of cytokines and gastrointestinal hormones, brain amyloid precursor protein levels, and brain and body weights. By comparing groups and using path analysis, we found divergent influences of chronological aging versus body weight, our main findings being (i) changes in whole brain weight and serum macrophage colony-stimulating factor levels correlated better with body weight than with chronological aging, (ii) a decrease in brain cytokines and brain plasminogen activator inhibitor levels correlated better with chronological aging than with body weight, (iii) serum erythropoietin levels were influenced by both body weight and aging, (iv) serum plasminogen activator inhibitor, serum cytokines, and brain tumor necrosis factor were not influenced by aging or body weight, and (v) brain amyloid precursor protein more closely related to body weight and serum levels of gastrointestinal hormones than to brain weight, chronological aging, or cytokines. These findings show that although aging and body weight interact, their influences are distinct not only among various cytokines and hormones but also between the central nervous system and the peripheral tissue compartments.
Reconhecimento sem ética

Ao longo dos ultimos 30 anos, as teorias feministas de genero passaram de concepcoes parcialmente marxistas, centradas no trabalho, para concepcoes putativamente "pos-marxistas", tendo como base a cultura e a identidade. Refletindo um movimento politico mais amplo da redistribuicao para o reconhecimento, essa mudanca adquiriu dois sentidos. Por um lado, ela alargou a politica feminista para abranger temas legitimos de representacao, identidade e diferenca. Entretanto, no contexto de um neoliberalismo ascendente, as lutas feministas por reconhecimento podem estar servindo menos para enriquecer as lutas por redistribuicao do que para substitui-las. Assim, em vez de alcancarem um paradigma mais amplo e rico, que poderia abranger tanto redistribuicao quanto reconhecimento, as feministas parecem ter trocado um paradigma truncado por outro - um economicismo truncado por um culturalismo truncado. Este artigo procura resistir a essa tendencia. Nele se propoe uma analise de genero ampla o bastante para abrigar toda a variedade de preocupacoes feministas, tanto as fundamentais para o antigo feminismo socialista quanto as enraizadas na virada cultural. Propoe-se uma correspondente concepcao ampla de justica, capaz de abranger tanto distribuicao quanto reconhecimento, e uma abordagem nao-identitaria do reconhecimento, capaz de operar junto com a redistribuicao. Conclui-se, com o exame de alguns problemas praticos que surgem quando se tenta vislumbrar reformas institucionais que poderiam corrigir, simultaneamente, ma distribuicao e nao reconhecimento, na perspectiva de genero.
Runoff transport of faecal coliforms and phosphorus released from manure in grass buffer conditions

Aims: To test the hypothesis that faecal coliform (FC) and phosphorus (P) are transported similarly in surface runoff through the vegetative filter strip after being released from land-applied manure. Methods and Results: The Hagerstown soil was packed into boxes that were 10 cm deep, 30 cm wide and 100, 200 or 300 cm long. Grass was grown in boxes prior experiments. Same-length boxes were placed under rainfall simulator and tilted to have with either 2% or 4% slopes. Dairy manure was broadcast on the upper 30-cm section. Rainfall was simulated and runoff samples were collected and analysed for Cl, FC and total phosphorus (TP). Mass recovery, the concentration decrease rate k, and the ratio FC : TP showed that there was a consistent relationship between FC and TP in runoff. Conclusion: The FC and TP transport through simulated vegetated buffer strips were highly correlated. Significance and Impact of the Study: As a knowledge base on the effect of the environmental parameters on P transport in vegetated buffer strips is substantially larger than for manure-borne bacteria, the observed similarity may enhance ability to assess the efficiency of the vegetated buffer strips in retention of FC currently used as indicator organisms for manure-borne pathogens.
Differences in disfluency behavior between male and female nonstuttering children.

Speech samples of 150 words were obtained from 92 first-grade children, 46 males and 46 females. Children’s Thematic Apperception Test pictures were employed to elicit verbalization. Occurrences of...
Toxicosis due to Microcystin Hepatotoxins in Three Holstein Heifers

alitozoon cuniculi (Microsporidia, Nosematidae) and its taxo20. Wosu NJ, Shadduck JA, Pakes SP, et al.: 1977, Diagnosis of nomic significance. J Protozool 18:560-569. encephalitozoonosis in experimentally infected rabbits by in18. Waller T: 1977, The india-ink immunoreaction: a method for tradermal and immunofluorescence tests. Lab Anim Sci 27:210the rapid diagnosis of encephalitozoonosis. Lab Anim 11:93216. 97. 21. Yost DH: 1958, Encephalitozoon infection in laboratory ani19. Wosu NJ, Olsen RG, Shadduck JA, et al.: 1977, Diagnosis of mals. J Nat1 Cancer Inst 20:957-960. experimental encephalitozoonosis of rabbits by complement fixation. J Infect Dis 135:944-948.
A study of the effects of self-labeling and public labeling

Abstract This article examines the predictive utility of a theoretical model of self-labeling and public labeling processes. Effects of others' and actors' reactions to a negative label are assessed via an experimental design. A randomization test is employed to determine the fit of the theoretical predictions to the experimental outcomes. Substantively, it was shown that others' reactions to the label exacerbated the interactive situation regardless of actors' awareness of their negative status. It was also found that actors reacted to their labels in ways that exacerbated the interactive situation regardless of others' awareness of actors' negative status.
Step-wall heat-flux superposition for heat transfer in boundary-layer flows

Abstract A technique for the superposition of step-wall heat-flux solutions of the boundary-layer energy equation is presented. Calculations can be made for the cases of either specified wall temperatures or wall heat fluxes. Results for various situations of interest are presented and compared to corresponding results for step-wall temperature superposition. A method for application to arbitrary wall temperatures and heat fluxes is discussed. It is seen that step-wall temperature superposition is best suited to specified wall-temperature problems while step-wall heat-flux superposition is best for cases of specified wall heat flux. For a given problem, results of the two methods are essentially the same.
Visual Switching: The Illusion of Instantaneity and Visual Search

This paper questions two prima facie plausible claims concerning switching in the presence of ambiguous figures. The first is the claim that reversing is an instantaneous process. The second is the claim that the ability to reverse demonstrates the interpretive, inferential and constructive nature of visual processing. Empirical studies show that optical and cerebral events related to switching protract in time in a way that clashes with its perceived instantaneity. The studies further suggest an alternative theory of reversing: according to such alternative, seeing the same thing in multiple ways is a matter of uncovering what is already present to the senses through visual search.
3D measurement of the human body for apparel mass customization

An automatic body measurement system is essential for apparel mass customization. This paper introduces the development of a body-scanning system using the multi-line triangulation technique, and methods for body size extraction and body modeling. The scanning system can rapidly acquire the surface data of a body, provide accurate body dimensions, many of which are not measurable with conventional methods, and also construct a body form based on the scanned data as a digital model of the body for 3D garment design and for virtual try-on of a designed garment.
The effect of part sequence on succession threshold

When letters of the word POT and the nonsense syllable OTP are presented in a typical orientation (horizontal) and a typical order (left to right, up to down), succession threshold is lower relative to presentation in an atypical orientation (vertical) and an atypical order (right to left, down to up). These results are interpreted as showing that learning to read English establishes both orientation and order parameters of a hypothetical analysis operation
ANEMIA IN CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH HEMOPHILIA

Mild reductions in WBC and platelet counts are extremely common in multi-transfused hemophiliacs. Little attention has previously been directed to parameters of erythropoiesis in hemophiliacs even though anemia might be expected as a result of internal and occult external hemorrhage and impaired iron reutilization. Therefore, we examined hemoglobin (Hgb) concentration and red blood cell indices in 94 patients at times of comprehensive clinic visits. Additional studies performed in many included free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) and serum transferrin saturation, ferritin and haptoglobin. Hgb and MCV values were recorded as age-related percentile values. Hemophiliacs of all ages and degrees of severity often had lower than average values for Hgb; 31% had Hgb less than the 3rd percentile, 46% below the 10th percentile, and 83% below the mean value. MCV was less than the 3rd percentile in 11% of cases. Reduced Hgb percentile value was unrelated to age, severity of disease, or human immunodeficiency virus antibody status. Only 5 patients had an obvious cause of anemia (thalas-semia trait, blood loss, or iron deficiency). Serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, and FEP values were abnormal in just 6%, 4%, and 10% of patients respectively, indicating that iron deficiency or anemia of chronic disease was uncommon. Haptoglobin was low in 44% of patients, but reticulocyte count was > 2.5% in only 11%. In conclusion, Hgb values are commonly below the mean normal values for age in hemophiliacs. Frank anemia is present in 31% of patients, is usually mild, and is without obvious cause.
On the stability of a model of testosterone dynamics

We prove the global asymptotic stability of a well-known delayed negative-feedback model of testosterone dynamics, which has been proposed as a model of oscillatory behavior. We establish stability (and hence the impossibility of oscillations) even in the presence of delays of arbitrary length.
Electron attachment to SF6 in gaseous Ar and Xe; comparison to results in liquid Ar and Xe and energy of excess electrons

Abstract The total electron attachment rate constant for SF 6 measured by us in gaseous Ar and Xe over an extended energy range is compared with that measured by others in liquid Ar and Xe. A similar comparison is made for the electron transport coefficients. The thermal value of the total electron attachment rate constant for SF 6 in gaseous, ( k a ) G,th , and in liquid, ( k a ) L,th , argon are virtually identical and both are ~3 times smaller than the maximum s -wave thermal rate constant, ( k a ) s-wave,th . The ( k a ) L,th for SF 6 in liquid xenon is ~3 times larger than ( k a ) G,th and comparable to ( k a ) s-wave,th . These data are rationalized by considering the total energy E T available for the reaction e liquid + SF 6liquid → SF -* 6liquid . From a comparison of the ( k a ) G and ( k a ) L as functions of the density-normalized electric field E/N and from a knowledge of the mean electron energy 〈ϵ〉 G as a function of E/N in gaseous Ar and Xe, a mean electron energy scale 〈ϵ〉 vs E/N has been established for liquid Ar and liquid Xe. The 〈ϵ〉 L vs E/N determined in this work is compared with theoretical estimates; it allows a plot of ( k a ) L vs 〈ϵ〉 L for SF 6 in liquid Ar and liquid Xe. Detailed comparisons are also given of the electron drift velocity w G ( E/N ) in gaseous Ar and Xe, and w L ( E/N ) in liquid Ar and Xe, and the mean electron energy 〈ϵ〉 G ( E/N ) in gaseous and 〈ϵ〉 L ( E/N ) in liquid Ar and Xe.
The mechanism of the diaphorase reaction catalyzed by glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase☆

Abstract 2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol reacts with the sulfhydryl group at the active site of apo-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase isolated from chicken muscle to form a leuco dye-enzyme adduct which is yellow. The leuco dye-enzyme adduct is oxidized by 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol to form an oxidized dye-enzyme adduct which is blue. NADH converts the oxidized enzyme-dye adduct to the leuco enzymedye adduct. The enzyme-dye adducts catalyze the oxidation of NADH by 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol in a reaction which exhibits “ping-pong” kinetics. The pH rate behavior of the reaction catalyzed by the enzyme-dye adduct differs considerably from the non-enzymatic oxidation of NADH by 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol. A scheme for the reaction catalyzed by the enzyme-dye adduct which is consistent with the experimental observations is presented.
Complement-mediated opsonisation and phagocytosis of Renibacterium salmoninarum.

Renibacterium salmoninarum depletes complement-mediated haemolytic activity of human and chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) serum, and the extent of depletion depends on bacterial density. The bacterium also consumes human, chinook salmon, channel catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus ), and rainbow trout ( O, mykiss ) complement in the presence of Mg-EGTA indicating the involvement of the alternative complement pathway. Bacteria incubated in human serum with or without Mg-EGTA cause human erythrocytes to agglutinate. This immune adherence is blocked by incubation of the opsonised bacteria in the presence of a goat anti-human C3 antibody or incubation of the human erythrocytes with a monoclonal antibody against the human complement receptor CR1. Both results indicate that the bacteria have been opsonised with C3b. Furthermore, incubation of R. salmoninarum in haemolytically-active rainbow trout serum is required for the adherence of the bacterium to rainbow trout kidney macrophages prior to their phagocytosis.