cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Internal sequence analysis of proteins separated on polyacrylamide gels at the submicrogram level: Improved methods, applications and gene cloning strategies

The fields of protein chemistry and molecular biology are currently merging for study of biologically relevant events and conditions. To obtain partial sequences of microamounts of protein, effcient integration of high resolution separation and sequencing technologies is required. We report here on improved methods that allow extensive internal sequencing of 10 to 20 picomoles protein recovered from one- or two-dimensional gels. Each step of the standard protocol of Aebersold et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 1987, 84, 6970–6974) and the required instrumentation were examined and specifically adapted for use with submicrogram amounts of protein. Optimizations of in situ microdigests and liquid chromatography were needed for improved peptide recovery. Subsequent automated sequencing required subpicomole analysis. New methods for S-alkylation of gel-separated proteins and accurate identification of tryptophan-containing peptides were introduced to insure over all higher efficiencies. The acquired internal sequences facilitated cloning of the genes and several strategies are discussed. Applying our method, several proteins of unknown structure were sequenced and successfully identified or cloned. Internal sequences of submicrogram protein amounts, recovered from a single two-dimensional gel of Escherichia coli total protein (120 μg), allowed unambiguous identification of the spots but pre-gel enrichment will be required for analysis of most (90–95 %) other spots. Integration of comprehensive two-dimensional gel protein databases with methods and strategies outlined here could potentially be an abundant source of DNA probes and markers useful for guidance of the human genome sequencing project and for analysis of the emerging vast amounts of data.
Determination of thiodiglycol in groundwater using solid-phase extraction followed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection in the selected-ion mode

Abstract A highly sensitive analytical procedure is described for determining thiodiglycol in groundwater. Samples are initially fortified with 3,3′-thiodipropanol (surrogate), then both species are extracted using sequential solid-phase extraction with both C18 and Ambersorb 572 columns. The C18 column, which removes extraneous groundwater components, is discarded; the Ambersorb 572 column is dried thoroughly before eluting polar components with a small volume of dichloromethane. The extract is taken to dryness using dry flowing nitrogen, and the resulting residue is derivatized using N-(tert.-butyldimethylsilyl)-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide and pyridine. The derivatized products are diluted to a final volume with toluene, chromatographed using a fused-silica capillary column, and detected with a quadrupole mass spectrometric detector in its selected-ion mode. Two independent, statistically unbiased, procedures were used to evaluate the detection limits for thiodiglycol; the values ranged between 4 and 16 μg l−1 groundwater.
Sex and Equality in Republican China The Debate over the Adultery Law

Centered on the controversy that erupted over a proposal to include men in the adultery law in the 1935 revised criminal code, this article demonstrates the role of public opinion in legal reform a...
Promoting Health: Media Advocacy Opportunities in English- and Spanish-Language Masthead Editorials:

Abstract Purpose. This study examines two newspapers' editorial coverage of issues related to the Healthy People 2010 focus areas and compares the two newspapers. Design. A qualitative study. Setting. Two Los Angeles, California, newspapers. Subjects. The masthead editorials of the Los Angeles Times and La Opinion in the year following the release of Healthy People 2010. Measures. A structured data abstraction instrument was used for descriptive coding. Correspondence to 1 of the 28 Healthy People 2010 focus areas determined whether domestic editorials were about health. Analysis. An ethnographic content analysis. Results. There were 1075 editorials from the Los Angeles Times and 361 from La Opinion; 17% were focused on domestic health issues. Three Healthy People 2010 focus areas dominated: Environmental Health, Injury and Violence Prevention, and Access to Quality Health Services. Ten focus areas did not receive a single mention in the Los Angeles Times, and 19 focus areas lacked editorials in La Opinio...
Taking technology into manufacturing: The limiting step

More often than is generally realized, advancements are not limited by the rate with which technology is developed, but by the rate with which a new technology is effectively introduced into manufacturing. This presentation will consider some of the problems associated with that transition process, and discuss measures that can smooth such transitions.
Mental health needs assessment after the Gulf Coast oil spill-Alabama and Mississippi, 2010.

Introduction Previous oil spills and disasters from other human-made events have shown that mental health effects to the affected population are widespread and can be significant. Hypothesis/Problem There has been concern regarding the likelihood that existing public health surveillance was not capturing the mental health effects to the population affected by the Gulf Coast oil spill. The objectives of this study were to assess the mental health needs of coastal communities in the states of Alabama and Mississippi following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Methods A cluster sampling methodology was used to assess the mental health status of coastal residents in three counties in Alabama four months following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and in the Gulf Coast counties in Mississippi 5.5 months after the oil spill. Results A total of 469 residents of the selected areas were interviewed. Between 15.4 and 24.5% of the respondents reported depressive symptoms, with 21.4-31.5% reporting symptoms consistent with an anxiety disorder, and 16.3-22.8% reporting ≥14 mentally unhealthy days within the past 30 days. Overall, there were more negative quality of life indicators and negative social context outcomes than in the state's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey. Between 32.1% and 35.7% of all households reported decreased income since the oil spill, and 35.5-38.2% of all households reported having been exposed to oil. Conclusion The proportion of respondents reporting negative mental health parameters in the affected Alabama and Mississippi coastal communities is higher than the proportion reported in the 2008 and 2009 BRFSS state reports, suggesting that the public health response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill should focus on mental health services in these communities. Buttke D , Vagi S , Bayleyegn T , Sircar K , Strine T , Morrison M , Allen M , Wolkin A . Mental Health Needs Assessment After the Gulf Coast Oil Spill—Alabama and Mississippi, 2010. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;27(5):1-8.
Mitochondrial movement and positioning in axons: the role of growth factor signaling

SUMMARY The extreme length of axonal processes requires that aerobic ATP production and Ca 2+ homeostasis are non-uniformly organized in the cytoplasm. As a result, the transport and positioning of mitochondria along axons is essential for neuronal homeostasis. Mitochondria undergo rapid but intermittent transport in both the anterograde and retrograde directions in axons. We have shown that in chick embryonic sensory neurons, the transport of mitochondria responds to physiological changes in the cell and, particularly, to growth cone activity. When an axon is actively elongating, mitochondria move preferentially anterograde and then become stationary, accumulating in the region of the active growth cone. When axonal elongation ceases, mitochondria in the distal axon resume movement but undergo net retrograde transport and become uniformly distributed along the axon. This redistribution of mitochondria is achieved in two ways: there is a transition between motile and stationary mitochondria and a large up- and downregulation of their anterograde, but not retrograde, motor activity. Mitochondrial transport does not respond to the experimentally induced elongation of axons in the absence of an active growth cone, implying that signals from the active growth cone regulate transport. To determine the nature of these signals, we have focally stimulated the shafts of sensory axons in culture with nerve growth factor (NGF) covalently conjugated to polystyrene beads. We find that mitochondria accumulate at regions of focal NGF stimulation. This response is specific to mitochondria and does not result from general disruption of the cytoskeleton in the region of stimulation. Disruption of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) pathway, one of the signaling pathways downstream from NGF–receptor binding, completely eliminates NGF effects on mitochondrial behavior in axons. We propose that mitochondrial transport and/or docking are regulated in part via NGF/TrkA/PI 3-kinase signaling.
Climatic Consequences of Leaf Presence in the Eastern United States

Abstract At the time of leaf emergence in deciduous forests, markedly enhanced evapotranspiration leads to a rapid drop in the Bowen ratio. A small fraction of this surface flux alteration converges into the boundary layer, and this can be detected in the mean temperature and humidity daily increments at the surface. A simple technique is presented for identifying this response in surface climate data and extracting time series for the date of spring onset and for the “spring intensity,” a measure of surface energy budget partition change in spring. A tendency Bowen ratio B′ is found from changes in the daily increment of temperature and humidity in multidecadal averages. The spring date determined using this criterion for stations along the U.S. east coast corresponds to the date at which the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) reaches 80% of its seasonal maximum. Northward movement of the vernal front is similar to that obtained using Hopkins’ empirical rule; it is linearly related to leaf eme...
Parallel pipelined FFT architectures with reduced number of delays

This paper presents a novel approach to design four and eight parallel pipelined fast Fourier transform (FFT) architectures using folding transformation. The approach is based on use of decimation in time algorithms which reduce the number of delay elements by 33% compared to the decimation in frequency based designs. The number of delay elements required for an N-point FFT architecture is N - 4 which is comparable to that of delay feedback schemes. The number of complex adders required is only 50% of those in the delay feedback designs. The proposed approach can be extended to any radix-2n based FFT algorithms. The proposed architectures are feed-forward designs and can be pipelined by more stages to increase the throughput. Further, a novel four parallel 128-point FFT architecture is derived using the proposed approach. It is shown that a radix-24 4-parallel 128-point design requires 124 delay elements, 28 complex adders, and four full complex multipliers.
Simulations of Dye Releases off the Coast of New Jersey: Development and Validation of an Ocean Outfall Mixing Model

A kinematic mixing model has been developed to predict far field effluent distributions for ocean discharges. The model allows for complex outfall configurations and time varying discharge rates to be simulated. The model can use field observations or the output from a proven near field mixing model as input to this far field mixing model. The model uses observed or simulated horizontal currents at one location to advect the effluent plume and a scale-dependent “diffusion velocity” submodel to account for horizontal diffusive processes. To collect data to calibrate and verify the model, long-term continuous dye release experiments were conducted at two New Jersey ocean outfalls. Based upon the results of the dye release experiments, appropriate values for the diffusion velocity were determined for each outfall. Simulations using these diffusion velocities provided reasonable predictions of plume width and of average dye concentration at each transect for each outfall. This work demonstrates that an Euleri...
Simultaneous demand-driven data-flow and call graph analysis

Recently, there has been much interest in performing demand-driven data flow analysis in software development environments. Demand-driven analysis techniques compute data flow fact(s) for a particular program point, rather than computing data flow information for the entire program. The existing work in this area however, assumes that the static call graph is available for the entire program. Constructing exhaustive call graphs can be extremely time and space inefficient for large object oriented programs. Therefore, it is desirable to compute the call graph information on a demand basis as well. We present an algorithm for demand-driven construction of reaching definitions, which also performs call graph analysis on a demand basis.
Diagnosis of realistic bridging faults with single stuck-at information

Abstract: Precise failure analysis requires accurate fault diagnosis. A previously proposed method for diagnosing bridging faults using single stuck-at dictionaries was applied only to small circuits, produced large and imprecise diagnoses, and did not take into account the Byzantine Generals Problem for bridging faults. We analyze the original technique and improve it by introducing the concepts of match restriction, match requirement, and failure recovery. Our new technique, which requires no information other than that used by standard stuck-at methods, produces diagnoses that are an order of magnitude smaller than those produced by the original technique and produces many fewer misleading diagnoses than that of traditional stuck-at diagnosis.
Value of Clinician Assessment of Hemodynamics in Advanced Heart Failure The ESCAPE Trial

Background— We determined whether estimated hemodynamics from history and physical examination (H&P) reflect invasive measurements and predict outcomes in advanced heart failure. The role of the H&P in medical decision making has declined in favor of diagnostic tests, perhaps because of the lack of evidence for utility. Methods and Results— We compared HP P <0.001) and orthopnea ≥2 pillows (odds ratio, 3.6; P <0.05) were associated with pulmonary capillary wedge pressure ≥30 mm Hg. Estimated cardiac index did not reliably reflect the measured cardiac index ( P =0.09), but “cold” versus “warm” profile was associated with lower median measured cardiac index (1.75 versus 2.0 L/(min·m2); P =0.004). In Cox regression analysis, discharge “cold” or “wet” profile conveyed a 50% increased risk of death or rehospitalization. Conclusions— In advanced heart failure, the presence of orthopnea and increased jugular venous pressure is useful to detect increased pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, and a global assessment of inadequate perfusion (“cold” profile) is useful to detect reduced cardiac index. Hemodynamic profiles estimated from the discharge H&P identify patients at increased risk of early events. Received December 6, 2007; accepted July 23, 2008.
Photodissociation of I2- (OCS)n Cluster Ions: Structural Implications

We report product distributions from the photodissociation of I 2 - (OCS)n (n ) 1-26) cluster ions at 790 and 395 nm and discuss implications concerning the structure of these clusters. The experimental results are paralleled by a theoretical investigation of I 2 - (OCS)n structures. The 790 and 395 nm transitions in I2 access dissociative excited states that correlate with the I - + I( 2 P3/2) and I - + I*( 2 P1/2) products, respectively. Photoabsorption by I2 - (OCS)n clusters at 790 nm results in “uncaged” I - (OCS)k and “caged” I 2 - (OCS)k fragments. The 395 nm excitation leads, in general, to three distinct pathways: (1) I 2 - dissociation on the I - + I*( 2 P1/2) spin-orbit excited asymptote, competing with the solvent-induced spin-orbit relaxation of I*( 2 P1/2) followed by either (2) I2 - dissociation on the I - + I( 2 P3/2) asymptote or (3) I2 - recombination. Pathways 1 and 2 result in a bimodal distribution of the uncaged I - (OCS)k fragments that energetically correlate with the two spin-orbit states of the escaping I atom. The I + I - caging efficiency is determined as a function of the number of solvent OCS molecules at both excitation wavelengths studied. At 790 nm, 100% caging of I2 - is achieved for n g 17. For 395 nm excitation, addition of the 17th OCS molecule to I2 - (OCS)16 results in a steplike increase in the caging efficiency from 0.25 to 0.68. These results suggest that the first solvent shell around I2 - is comprised of 17 OCS molecules. Results of theoretical calculations of the lowestenergy I2 - (OCS)n cluster structures support this conclusion. The roles of different dominant electrostatic moments of OCS and CO2 in defining the I2 - (OCS)n and I2 - (CO2)n cluster structures are discussed, based on comparison of the photofragment distributions.
THE FACTORS CONCERNED IN THE APPEARANCE OF NUCLEATED RED BLOOD CORPUSCLES IN THE PERIPHERAL BLOOD : I. INFLUENCE OF PROCEDURES DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE RATE OF BLOOD FLOW THROUGH THE BLOOD-FORMING ORGANS-EXERCISE AND NERVE SECTION.

1. Hemorrhage with immediate saline infusion causes the appearance in the peripheral blood of a slightly increased number of normoblasts provided normoblasts are already present in the blood stream. Marrow hyperplasia does not intensify this reaction and the cells found probably do not leave the marrow pulp but are in the blood stream at the time of the experiment. 2. The slight increase in cells occurring immediately after hemorrhage and infusion is designated a pseudocrisis. True crises are much more extensive; they tend to occur just before rapid increase in the erythrocyte count and usually towards the end of the 1st week following hemorrhage. 3. Red cells and white cells tend to move from the marrow together, but this association is not invariable. 4. After repeated hemorrhages regeneration occurs independently of the appearance of nucleated red cells in the peripheral blood. 5. Repeated hemorrhages associated with extension of erythrocyteproducing marrow lead to polycythemia but not to a conspicuous increase in speed of regeneration.
Evolutionary biology and anthropology suggest biome reconstitution as a necessary approach toward dealing with immune disorders

Industrialized society currently faces a wide range of non-infectious, immune-related pandemics. These pandemics include a variety of autoimmune, inflammatory and allergic diseases that are often associated with common environmental triggers and with genetic predisposition, but that do not occur in developing societies. In this review, we briefly present the idea that these pandemics are due to a limited number of evolutionary mismatches, the most damaging being ‘biome depletion’. This particular mismatch involves the loss of species from the ecosystem of the human body, the human biome, many of which have traditionally been classified as parasites, although some may actually be commensal or even mutualistic. This view, evolved from the ‘hygiene hypothesis’, encompasses a broad ecological and evolutionary perspective that considers host-symbiont relations as plastic, changing through ecological space and evolutionary time. Fortunately, this perspective provides a blueprint, termed ‘biome reconstitution’, for disease treatment and especially for disease prevention. Biome reconstitution includes the controlled and population-wide reintroduction (i.e. domestication) of selected species that have been all but eradicated from the human biome in industrialized society and holds great promise for the elimination of pandemics of allergic, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
Axis of visual field rotation and order of presentation differentially affect postural responses in a virtual environment

We employed a virtual environment to examine the effect of a visual field rotating about the interaural or talo-crural axes on postural behaviors in 11 healthy young adults. Subjects stood quietly in the dark or while the virtual scene rotated in upward pitch on a platform that tilted the ankle into dorsiflexion. Three orders of visual axis rotation were presented. Greater body sway occurred with visual field rotations about the head than the ankle. Ankle muscle activity increased in all visual rotation orders, but the relative response to the head and ankle axis visual rotations depended upon the order of presentation. We conclude that visual field motion combined with a support surface disturbance increases system excitability, and that rotations of the visual field about the axis of the head are more disturbing to upright posture than rotations about the ankle.
Dynamic mechanical and dielectric properties of phosphonylated polypentenamers and their hydrogenated derivatives

Dynamic mechanical and dielectric properties of substituted polypentenamers with phosphonate side groups and their hydrogenated derivatives have been studied. Methyl esters, acids, and salts were investigated at two concentrations, 6.5 and 11.1 mole percent. In the unhydrogenated derivatives, one principal relaxation, labeled β, is observed mechanically in the temperature range from −160 to 100°C. This β relaxation arises from micro-Brownian segmental motion accompanying the glass transition. Its temperature is substantially affected by the substituent concentration while its breadth is affected by the chemical nature of the substituent. An extended “rubbery plateau” region exists in the acid and salt derivatives. The dielectric results generally reinforce the mechanical assignments. In the hydrogenated derivatives, three relaxations labeled α, β, and γ in order of decreasing temperature occur mechanically in this temperature range. The temperatures at which the α and β relaxations occur depend greatly on the chemical nature of the substituents, the substituent concentration, and the thermal history of the sample; while the γ relaxation appears to be independent of these variables. Suggested assignments for the relaxations observed in these polymers, based on the dual glass transition theory of Boyer for semicrystalline polymers, have been proposed. The dielectric results are consistent with the proposed assignments.
Parametric and nonparametric adaptive identification of nonlinear structural systems

Adaptive estimation procedures have gained significant attention by the research community to perform real-time identification of nonlinear hysteretic structural systems under arbitrary dynamic excitations. The paper presents an overview of some of the authors' previous work in this area, and also discusses some of the new issues being tackled with regard to this class of problems. The trade-offs between parametric based modeling and nonparametric modeling of nonlinear hysteretic dynamic system behavior are discussed. A neural network based identification procedure is introduced. Both simulation and experimental results of the performance of the parametric and nonparametric methods are presented.
Appropriate enoxaparin dose for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in patients with extreme obesity.

Objective: To evaluate the appropriate dose of enoxaparin for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in patients with extreme obesity. Methods: A literature search was performed using MEDLINE (1950-April 2013) to analyze all English-language articles that evaluated incidence of VTE and/or anti-Xa levels with enoxaparin for thromboprophylaxis in patients with extreme obesity. Results: Eight studies were included in the analysis. Six of the studies were done in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Mean body mass index ranged from 44.9 to 63.4 kg/m 2 within studies. Studies done with bariatric surgery patients utilized doses of enoxaparin that ranged from the standard dose of 30 mg subcutaneous (SQ) every 12 hours to 60 mg SQ every 12 hours. Other studies evaluated doses ranging from 40 mg SQ every 24 hours to 0.5 mg/kg/day. Only 3 studies evaluated the incidence of VTE as the primary endpoint; the other studies evaluated anti-Xa levels. The studies showed that appropriate anti-Xa levels were achieved more often with higher than standard doses of enoxaparin. One study showed that enoxaparin 40 mg SQ every 12 hours decreased the incidence of VTE in patients undergoing bariatric surgery compared to standard doses. Overall risk of bleeding was similar between study groups. Conclusions: Higher than standard doses of enoxaparin may be needed for patients with extreme obesity. Patients undergoing bariatric surgery may benefi t from enoxaparin 40 mg SQ every 12 hours. Additional large randomized, controlled trials are needed to determine the effi cacy and safety of higher than standard doses of enoxaparin for VTE prophylaxis in patients with extreme obesity.
Handing Off Primary Care Patients at the End of a Pediatric Residency

I met Diego (names in this article have been changed to protect patient privacy) for the first time in my primary care clinic at Boston Medical Center when he was 3 days old. When I entered the room, both he and his mother, Esmerelda, were crying. Esmerelda had fled an abusive relationship in the Dominican Republic and arrived in Boston alone, just in time to deliver her first son. She knew no one in the city. I was an intern at the time, just 1 month into my career as a doctor, and felt like crying too. Since that first day, I have seen Diego and Esmerelda many times for checkups, urgent care visits, behavioral health visits, and a memorable house call. I have watched Diego grow into a robust and headstrong 3-year-old and Esmerelda into a confident single mother who has obtained her own apartment, enrolled Diego in Early Head Start, and started taking English classes. Now a senior resident, the reality of saying goodbye to Diego and Esmerelda, among my other primary care patients, is devastating. I’m concerned that the next doctor caring for Diego will not understand him and Esmerelda … Address correspondence to Juniper Lyra Burch, MD, 515 Putnam Ave #6, Cambridge, MA 02139. E-mail: lyraburch{at}gmail.com
Ureteral Avulsion Associated with Ureteroscopy: Insights from the MAUDE Database.

Abstract Background: Flexible and semirigid ureteroscopy (URS) are widely performed for the treatment of upper tract calculi and tumors. Ureteral avulsion is a rare, but devastating complication of endoscopic stone removal having multiple possible etiologies. Awareness and avoidance of this rare complication depend on identifying responsible mechanisms. This study examines the situations in which ureteral avulsion occurs as described anonymously in the Manufacturer and User facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database. Materials and Methods: The MAUDE database was systematically reviewed to account for all reported complications of flexible and semirigid URS. Keywords “ureteroscopy, injury, death, malfunction and other” were entered in the database and medical device reports were reviewed to capture any cases resulting in ureteral avulsion. Attention was paid to the type of ureteroscope involved and the mechanism for avulsion. Results: A total of 104 entries were found detailing the reported complications ...
MAYFIELD LOGISTIC REGRESSION: A PRACTICAL APPROACH FOR ANALYSIS OF NEST SURVIVAL

Abstract Mayfield logistic regression is a method for analyzing nest-survival data that extends the traditional Mayfield estimator by incorporating explanatory variables (e.g. habitat structure, seasonal effects, or experimental treatments) in a logistic-regression analysis framework. Although Aebischer (1999) previously showed that logistic regression can be used to fit Mayfield models, few ornithologists have put that finding into practice. My purpose here is to reintroduce this underused method of nest-survival analysis, to compare its performance to that of a dedicated survival-analysis program (MARK), and to provide a practical guide for its use. Like the traditional Mayfield method, Mayfield logistic regression accounts for the num ber of “exposure days” for each nest and allows for uncertain fates (censoring), thus avoiding the bias introduced by typical applications of logistic regression. Mayfield logistic regression should be widely applicable when nests are found at various stages in the nestin...
What Should We Do? Public Attitudes about How Local Government Officials Should Confront Fiscal Stress

AbstractDespite strong scholarly interest in the topic of fiscal stress, little attention has been paid to understanding how the general public thinks local governments should respond to situations where declining revenues endanger service levels. This study reports findings from a survey of 660 residents undertaken between November 2006 and January 2007 in the US state of Michigan to examine their support for eight potential strategies to cope with fiscal stress in five different local government services. We find that the public has a surprisingly nuanced perspective about these strategies and on their use for different services. Our findings may provide local policymakers with some insights about how to respond to fiscal stress.
Identification of Nicotine-1'-N-oxide Degrading Bacteria

Two bacterial strains which degrade nicotine and nicotine-1′-N-oxide were isolated from tobacco leaves and soils, and their bacteriological characteristics were investigated. One strain was white and the other yellow and both were identified as Arthrobacter globiformis (Conn) Conn and Dimmick. A. globiformis JTS–6 had a marked substrate specificity for nicotine-1′-N-oxide and did not degrade the other N-oxide analogues tested, showing that pyridine and pyrrolidine rings were required for the substrate. Strain JTS–6 degraded natural (S)-nicotine two-times as fast as (R)-nicotine. It degraded all four diastereomers of nicotine-1′-N-oxide, although 1′ (R) were degraded faster than 1′ (S) without distinction for 2′ configuration.
Scaffolded online learning modules for milliequivalency and milliosmolarity.

Abstract Objective To improve student learning with the use of scaffolded online learning modules that address underlying concepts and mathematical procedures related to milliequivalency and milliosmolarity. Design Two online learning modules were created centering on the concepts necessary to calculate milliequivalency and milliosmolarity. Concepts were scaffolded so that students first reviewed elements of the equations individually, next were walked through example calculations, and finally attempted the calculations on their own. Each module opened for students prior to the class in which that topic was covered. An in-class lecture followed the self-paced online modules. Assessment Exam scores from the present study were compared to exam scores from a previous year. Only scores on questions that were identical in both years were compared. Students were surveyed to better understand their use of and reactions to the self-paced modules. Conclusions A chi-square test revealed that overall students who used the scaffolded modules did significantly better on the exam than students who did not use the modules, χ 2 (1, N = 1832) = 68.48, p = 1.27E−16. In looking at the individual questions (four total), the chi-square test resulted in a significant difference in two. Both of these were milliequivalency questions—in the first question, χ 2 (1, N = 458) = 38.30, p = 6.08E−16, and in the second, χ 2 (1, N = 458) = 39.91, p = 2.66E−16. Based on student survey feedback, students were in favor of these self-paced modules as preparation for the calculations they would have to perform in class and in exams.
Barriers to Implementing Wrong Site Surgery Guidelines: A Cognitive Work Analysis

In this paper, we explore the barriers wrong-site surgery guidelines face when applied in current work practice. Over 40 hours of direct observation of the entire care process (from initial consultation through post-operative care) were conducted. A breakdown in communication between surgical team members and the patient, operating room policy and procedures, incomplete patient assessment, staffing issues, distraction, and availability of pertinent information were identified by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) in 1998. In response to the high visibility of wrong-sited surgeries, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) among others, developed guidelines intended to reduce the risk but failed to account for the dynamic complex environment. Several process elements emerged from our analysis of observation and interview data as they affected the outpatient surgical process of identification. This paper suggests strategies to enhance resiliency already prese...
A review of "Encyclopedia of Energy," Edited by Morris Pierce: Ipswich, MA: Salem Press, 2013, 4 vols., (ISBN: 978-1-58765-849-5).

The four-volume Encyclopedia of Energy, edited by Morris Pierce of Rochester University, contains entries of 500 to 3,500 words divided into the broad categories of Biographies; Business of Energy;...
The Alternating Series Defined by an Increasing Function

(1980). The Alternating Series Defined by an Increasing Function. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 87, No. 1, pp. 36-38.
Warfarin ether rodent bait effects of laboratory and field measurement

Objective To get the message of deratization effects of coumatetralyl poison bait in laboratory and field,and provide scientific data for deratization in Luochuan county. Methods Selective feeding method in single cage was used to determine the palatability of the poison baits and the control effect in the laboratory.Calculated the feeding indexes and laboratory corrected mortality.A nursery in Luochuan county was selected as test field and the powder trace method was used to determine the rodent density.Calculated the corrected deratization rates.Results The feeding indexes to coumatetraly was 0.61,which reached A grade.The corrected mortality in the laboratory was 100 %,reaching A grade.And that in the field was 86.88%,which reached B grade.Conclusion The coumatetralyl had good palatability and good control effect in the laboratory and field.
Response of Vibrio cholerae to Low-Temperature Shifts: CspV Regulation of Type VI Secretion, Biofilm Formation, and Association with Zooplankton.

ABSTRACT The ability to sense and adapt to temperature fluctuation is critical to the aquatic survival, transmission, and infectivity of Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of the disease cholera. Little information is available on the physiological changes that occur when V. cholerae experiences temperature shifts. The genome-wide transcriptional profile of V. cholerae upon a shift in human body temperature (37°C) to lower temperatures, 15°C and 25°C, which mimic those found in the aquatic environment, was determined. Differentially expressed genes included those involved in the cold shock response, biofilm formation, type VI secretion, and virulence. Analysis of a mutant lacking the cold shock gene cspV, which was upregulated >50-fold upon a low-temperature shift, revealed that it regulates genes involved in biofilm formation and type VI secretion. CspV controls biofilm formation through modulation of the second messenger cyclic diguanylate and regulates type VI-mediated interspecies killing in a temperature-dependent manner. Furthermore, a strain lacking cspV had significant defects for attachment and type VI-mediated killing on the surface of the aquatic crustacean Daphnia magna. Collectively, these studies reveal that cspV is a major regulator of the temperature downshift response and plays an important role in controlling cellular processes crucial to the infectious cycle of V. cholerae. IMPORTANCE Little is known about how human pathogens respond and adapt to ever-changing parameters of natural habitats outside the human host and how environmental adaptation alters dissemination. Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of the severe diarrheal disease cholera, experiences fluctuations in temperature in its natural aquatic habitats and during the infection process. Furthermore, temperature is a critical environmental signal governing the occurrence of V. cholerae and cholera outbreaks. In this study, we showed that V. cholerae reprograms its transcriptome in response to fluctuations in temperature, which results in changes to biofilm formation and type VI secretion system activation. These processes in turn impact environmental survival and the virulence potential of this pathogen.
Mutual neutralization of He+ with the anions Cl−, Br−, I−, and SF6−

Mutual neutralization (MN) rate coefficients kMN for He(+) with the anions Cl(-), Br(-), I(-), and SF6 (-) are reported from 300 to 500 K. The measured rate coefficients may contain a contribution from transfer ionization, i.e., double ionization of the anion. The large rate coefficient for He(+) + SF6 (-) (2.4 × 10(-7) cm(3) s(-1) at 300 K) is consistent with earlier polyatomic MN results found to have a reduced mass dependence of μ(-1/2). Neutralization of He(+) by the atomic halides follows the trend observed earlier for Ne(+), Ar(+), Kr(+), and Xe(+) neutralized by atomic halides, kMN (Cl(-)) < kMN (Br(-)) < kMN (I(-)). Only an upper limit could be measured for the neutralization of He(+) by Cl(-). Predictions of the rate coefficients from a previously proposed simple model of atomic-atomic MN results are consistent with the present He(+)-halide rate coefficients. The temperature dependences are modestly negative for Br(-) and I(-), while that for SF6 (-) is small or negligible.
Drive, Affect, Thought

Nietzsche’s dismemberment of the philosophical subject — the self — is well known. He argues repeatedly that Descartes, Leibniz, Kant, and others use tendentious philosophical arguments to establish the existence of a bogus subject-substance that is distinct from the body and unified in virtue of being a conscious subject of thought and agent of action. Nietzsche counters that such a subject-substance does not exist and that the reasons provided by philosophers for thinking that it must exist are uniformly unsound. His alternative views about the subject emphasize its ephemerality and infiltration by the surrounding natural and social environments. On his alternative, the subject is a collection of drives organized as a dynamic system of nutrition and expansion — nutrition conceived not simply as an organic category but one that includes also culturally enriched affective dimensions and intellectual ambitions, and expansion conceived not simply as an organic category of increasing one’s spread of influence in the world but as one that includes also inward-directed discipline and mastery of drives.
Identification of Insecticide Photoproducts by Mass Spectrometry

Mirex (dodecachloropentacyclo[5.3.0.02,6.03,9.04,8]decane), 1, has been used extensively in the southeastern United States to control the imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta and Solenopsis richteri). The irradiation of this chlorocarbon in hydrocarbon solvents with ultraviolet light produced C10C111H and C10C110H2 derivatives (Alley et a1., 1973). Three isomers are possible, 2, 3, and 4. The infrared spectrum of the C10C111H photoproduct differed from that reported by Dilling et al. (1967) for 1,2,3,4,5,5,6,7,8,9,10-undecachloro[5.3.0.02,6, .03,9.04,8]decane (2). Nothing was known about the chemical reactivity of the different chlorine atoms in Mirex; therefore, synthesis of compounds with known structures was not possible. Furthermore, neither infrared, mass spectral, nor nmr data provided any information to help establish which of the remaining isomers (3 or 4) was the photoproduct.
For the Birds

In Geoffrey Chaucer’s Squire’s Tale, a Mongol princess and a peregrine falcon talk together thanks to a magical ring that renders birdsong intelligible to humans. Or do they understand one another, as the falcon suggests, thanks to their shared femininity, nobility, and sensitivity to love? These registers of sympathy unite them across the species barrier and set them apart from the tale’s opening scene of masculine diplomacy and chivalry. The opening scene displays a relatively straightforward orientalism, in which the eastern kingdom of Cambyuskan (Genghis Khan) is both richly exotic and smoothly appropriated to express the Squire’s international sophistication. In the tale’s second part, species difference raises the stakes on ethnic difference, interrogating the limits that ethics might set on hospitality and compassion.
Audio-Visual Person Authentication with Multiple Visualized-Speech Features and Multiple Face Profiles

We present an Audio-visual person authentication system which extracts several novel ldquovisualized-speech-featuresrdquo (VSF) from the spoken-password and multiple face profiles using a simple user-interface and combine these features to deliver high performance and resilience against imposter attacks. The spoken password is converted to a string of images formed by several visualized speech features. A compressed form of these VSFs preserves speaker identity in a compact manner. Simulation results on an in-house 210-user AV-user-ID database collected with wide variations of users in real-life office environments demonstrate separable distributions of client and imposter scores (0% EER), while offering low storage and computational complexities compared to conventional AV user-recognition methods.
Subdistal Appendages Stabilize the Ups and Downs of Ciliary Life

Centrioles acquire subdistal appendages (sDAPs) during primary cilium formation. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Mazo et al. (2016) demonstrate that sDAPs keep cilia submerged within deep membrane invaginations. When sDAPs and centrosome cohesion are disrupted, cilia surface to the plasma membrane, which may alter mechanical and chemical signal transduction.
Image-based modeling: A novel tool for realistic simulations of artificial bone cultures

Computational modeling has been promulgated as a means of optimizing artificial bone tissue culturing ex vivo. In the present report, we show, as a proof-of-concept, that it is possible to model the exact microenvironment within the scaffolds while accounting for their architectural complexities and the presence of cells/tissues in their pores. Our results clearly indicate that image-based modeling has the potential to be a powerful tool for computer-assisted tissue engineering.
The Hollowing out of Youngstown Sheet: How Congress and the Courts Can Restore Limits on Presidential Power

Justice Jackson's concurring opinion in the Youngstown Sheet steel seizure case is seen as a rejection of unlimited presidential power and a suggestion that presidents should, when possible, act with Congress rather than acting unilaterally. However, his famous tripartite framework can be exploited. After 9/11, both the Bush and Obama administrations claimed statutory authorization when none existed in order to lend legitimacy to what were in fact unilateral actions. In most cases, Congress and the courts declined to challenge implausible theories of statutory interpretation relied on by the executive branch. The result is that national security power has increasingly been concentrated in the hands of the president, cloaked by the fiction that presidents are acting pursuant to statutory authority. Congress and the courts can and should give meaning to Jackson’s tripartite framework by rejecting implausible claims that executive branch action is supported by statutory authority. This would restore meaning to the tripartite framework as an effective tool to define and set limits on executive power.
Upper extremity movement reliability and validity of the Kinect version 2.

Purpose: Studies have shown that marker-less motion detection systems, such as the first generation Kinect (Kinect 1), have good reliability and potential for clinical application. Studies of the s...
Irvine-Michigan-Brookhaven (I.M.B.) Nucleon Decay Search Status Report

The Irvine-Michigan-Brookhaven collaboration is currently constructing a 8700 tonne water Cerenkov detector to measure, or establish a lower limit to, the nucleon lifetime. The detector which should be complete by the middle of October, is located at a depth of 1670 m.w.e. in the Morton Salt Mine near Cleveland, Ohio.
Cloud-Enabled Hybrid Architecture for In-Class Interactive Learning Using Mobile Device

Mobile learning environments have the benefit of facilitating real time student learning and assessment. However, most of such learning environments only support static or traditional learning activities. In STEM disciplines, we need more active and engaging activities and mobile learning environments should be able to support such dynamic activities. By designing such learning environments to run completely on the cloud will limit its extensibility and will not accommodate interactive activities developed by anyone other than the developer of such learning environment. Instead, we argue that by incorporating cloud services in a traditional software architecture will allow the flexibility to develop and deploy interactive problem solving activities along with versatility that cloud computing brings. This paper presents Mobile Response System (MRS) that facilitates in-class interactive problem solving using mobile devices. MRS uses cloud services in the infrastructure to minimize instructor's workload, gives students transparent access, and makes the system failsafe alongside providing extensibility to any discipline.
Abstract 215: Intralipid Protects The Heart In Late Pregnancy Against Ischemia Reperfusion Injury Via Stat3 Signaling Pathway

We have recently reported that the hearts of late pregnant (LP) mice are more prone to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury compared to non pregnant mice. We also found that intralipid, a fat emulsion commonly used for parenteral nutrition, protects the male rodent heart against I/R injury if administrated during reperfusion. The activation of the survivor activating factor enhancement (SAFE) pathway, which includes the activation of the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3), has recently been highlighted in cardioprotection. Here we explored the therapeutic potential of intralipid in the protection of LP mouse hearts against I/R injury as well as the involvement of STAT3 signaling pathway. Isolated LP mouse hearts were subjected to 20 min ischemia followed by reperfusion with i) Krebs Henseleit buffer (CTRL group), ii) 1% intralipid (ITLD group) or iii) ITLD+STAT3 inhibitor Stattic (20 µM, Stattic group). The duration of reperfusion was 40 min for heart functional measurements and infarct size assessment. Postischemic administration of intralipid significantly improved the cardiac function of LP mice after ischemia. The rate pressure product (RPP) at the end of reperfusion was improved from 1617±287mmHg*beats/min (n=6) in CTRL to 11556±784 mmHg*beats/min (n=5) in the ITLD group. The infarct size was also significantly reduced by postischemic administration of intralipid to 17±2% (n=5) from 59±5%(n=6) in CTRL (p
The ‘Cyclone Column’ and Continuous Phased Culture

Two NRC innovations give Canadian biotechnology novel leads in bioreactor design, continuous culture and cell technology. The cyclone (closed loop) fermentor has enabled novel batch, continuous and phased culture developments that provide fundamentally new insights in cell cycle perspectives and cell behaviours, and, considerable advantages for applied work not yet realised elsewhere. The combined techniques pioneer new developments for bioprocessing science and technology.
Survey Results for Training and Resource Needs Cited by Early Intervention Professionals in the Field of Visual Impairment.

IntroductionProfessionals working with infants and toddlers with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision) were surveyed regarding their preservice training and their awa...