cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early diagenesis of fatty acids and hydrocarbons in a salt marsh environment

Abstract In a salt marsh environment, plant-produced fatty acids and aliphatic hydrocarbons undergo significant modification upon being deposited in sediment. The major changes include alteration of the distribution pattern of straight chain components, increase in the concentration of branched components and decrease in the concentration of unsaturated components. Changes are similar in both oxidizing and reducing environments. Carbon isotope measurements indicate that there is little horizontal movement of sediment organics. Spartina alterniflora has a δC 13 = − 12.5% (vs NBS 20) and Juncus romerianus has a δC 13 = −23.2%. Sediment organic matter taken from cores up to 60 cm in depth retains a δC 13 value similar to the plant species growing at the core site. Microbial metabolism appears to be responsible for the observed in situ changes in sediment lipids. The in situ changes did not result in significant alteration of δC 13 values.
Japanese American Elders and the Geriatric Depression Scale

A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the reliability and utility of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) among a community sample of Japanese American elders (n = 131; 78 women and 53 men). The GDS evidenced high internal consistency and reliability (Cronbach's coefficient alpha of .86). The split-half reliability coefficient was .78. The findings suggest that the GDS may be reliable for use in screening depression among Japanese American elders.
A Novel Hypothesis for Thalidomide-Induced Limb Teratogenesis: Redox Misregulation of the NF-κB Pathway

Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the mechanisms of thalidomide teratogenesis, although none adequately accounts for the observed malformations and explains the basis for species specificity. Recent observations that thalidomide increases the production of free radicals and elicits oxidative stress, coupled with new insights into the redox regulation of nuclear transcription factors, lead to the suggestion that thalidomide may act through redox misregulation of the limb outgrowth pathways. Oxidative stress, as marked by glutathione depletion/oxidation and a shift in intracellular redox potential toward the positive, occurs preferentially in limbs of thalidomide-sensitive rabbits, but not in resistant rats. DNA binding of nuclear factor κ-B (NF-κB), a redox-sensitive transcription factor and key regulator of limb outgrowth, was shown to be significantly attenuated in rabbit limb cells and could be restored following the addition of a free radical spin-trapping agent, phenyl N-tert-butyl nitr...
Beam profiling by vibrating knife edge: Implications for near-field optical scanning microscopy

We show theoretically and experimentally that beam profiling with a vibrating knife exhibits spatial resolution equal to the knife-edge excursion. We discuss the implications of this for near-field optical scanning microscopy, propose an extension of the method to two dimensions, and calculate impulse response, step response, and spatial frequency response.
ECS-produced disruption of a go, no-go discrimination in rats

Sixteen male albino rats were trained on a GO-light on (off), NO-GO-light off (on) leverpress discrimination task using a discrete trial procedure. Reinforcement was given on a variable ratio schedule (VR 2). All Ss were trained to a criterion of 90%. Following training, half the Ss were given ECS and the other Ss received no treatment. The Ss given ECS showed a deficit in performance when tested 24 h later. The results were discussed in terms of a disruption of a response inhibition mechanism.
Food descriptions using taxonomy and the ‘Langual’ system

Abstract Although the numer of food composition databases in use throughout the world is increasing rapidly, there are still many problems concerning the sharing of compositional data among countries. Such problems may arise as a result of poor descriptions of foods listed in databases and as a result of confusion over the interpretation of commonly used names for foods. Alternative approaches for the description of and retrieval of information about foods, based on the ‘Langual’ system and on taxonomic methods, are proposed.
Health Care Providers' Opinions on Communication Between Nursing Homes and Emergency Departments

Objectives To characterize the beliefs and opinions of nursing home (NH) and emergency medicine providers about communication between NH and emergency departments (ED) during transitions of care of NH residents. Design A cross-sectional study using a mailed and Internet survey. Participants and Setting Physicians, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants, and nurses who practice in ED settings and NH settings, affiliated with hospitals of an academic medical center in Rochester, New York. Measurements Opinions on communication; beliefs about frequency of information transmission; opinions on how often verbal communication should occur. Results A total of 155 nurses and medical providers participated in the survey for a response rate of 32.2% (155/481). Of the survey participants, 63.0% and 56.8% had been more than 5 years in their position and facility, respectively. Most respondents felt that important information was lost during patient transfers between NH and ED settings. Providers from ED and NH settings had different opinions on the likelihood that key information would be readily identifiable at patient transfer and that care would include requested tests and follow-up. Providers from both sites of care supported verbal communication at their position when NH residents are transferred to the other setting. Conclusion Nurses and medical providers from both emergency and NH settings agree that transitional communication is poor between NHs and EDs and support a role for verbal communication during the ED transitions of care of NH residents.
CXCR2 signaling and host defense following coronavirus-induced encephalomyelitis

Inoculation of the neurotropic JHM strain of mouse hepatitis virus (JHMV) into the CNS of susceptible strains of mice results in widespread replication within glial cells, accompanied by infiltration of virus-specific T lymphocytes that control the virus through cytokine secretion and cytolytic activity. The virus persists within the white matter tracts of surviving mice, resulting in demyelination that is amplified by inflammatory T cells and macrophages. In response to infection, numerous cytokines/chemokines are secreted by resident cells of the CNS and inflammatory leukocytes that participate in both host defense and disease. Among these are the ELR-positive chemokines that are able to signal through CXC chemokine receptors including CXCR2. Shortly after JHMV infection, ELR-positive chemokines contribute to host defense by attracting CXCR2-expressing cells, including polymorphonuclear cells, to the CNS that aid host defense by increasing the permeability of the blood–brain barrier. During chronic dise...
Property Rules or the Rule of Property? Carol Rose on the History, Theory, and Rhetoric of Ownership

The past 15 years have witnessed a dramatic shift in balance between public and private power. Newt Gingrich's revival of the traditional skein of American contractualism and efforts to blend it with an apocalyptic technological determinism is more than a legislative turn. It culminates a battle over the role of law in economic development. The confrontation and its outcome may be as momentous as former climacterics: the New Deal and the Depression; the rise of corporate liberalism in the 1890s; the Civil War and the blow to slave property; and so on backward through a series of lurches and formative dcmarches in American history. Nor is this moment a purely American phenomenon. The rush to "reform" welfare states elsewhere has if anything been more striking-perhaps because there was so much more to dismantle. But little can rival the
Electrophysiological evidence for a large receptor reserve for inhibition of dorsal raphe neuronal firing by 5-HT1A agonists

Previous studies [Meller et al. (1990) Mol. Pharmacol., 37:231-237] have shown that a large receptor reserve exists for the inhibition of serotonin synthesis in rat cortex and hippocampus by the 5-HT1A agonist 8-hydroxy-2(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), whereas little or no reserve exists for the lower efficacy agonists ipsapirone and BMY 7378. The current studies were undertaken to determine if the above drugs exhibit similar relative efficacies and receptor reserves in an electrophysiological model of 5-HT1A receptor activation, i. e., the inhibition of dorsal raphe cell firing. Intravenous dose-response curves were constructed in untreated control rats, or in rats which received an injection of the irreversible receptor inactivator N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1, 2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ, 6 mg/kg, s. c.) 24 hours before recording. All three drugs fully inhibited dorsal raphe cell firing in control rats (ED50's: 1.5 μg/kg, 8-OH-DPAT; 30.0 μg/kg, ipsapirone; 17.5 μg/kg, BMY 7378). However, unlike effects on serotonin synthesis, EEDQ treatments caused no depression of the maximal inhibitory response for any of the agonists, although all dose-response curves were shifted to the right (ED50's: 10.1 μg/kg, 6.7-fold shift, 8-OH-DPAT; 139.9 μg/kg, 4.7-fold shift, ipsapirone; 53.8 μg/kg, 3.1-fold shift, BMY 7378). Although the order of agonist efficacies was similar for both inhibition of serotonin synthesis and dorsal raphe cell firing (8-OH-DPAT > ipsapirone > BMY 7378), a large (>50%) receptor reserve was estimated for all three drugs in this electrophysiological system. This suggests that 5-HT1A receptor populations mediating the inhibition of transmitter synthesis and neuronal firing may be differently regulated or have different receptor-effector coupling characteristics (G-proteins, effectors, and/or transduction efficiencies). © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Space perception as a factor in land use decision making

Land use decisions involve the allocation of space to competing demands. Space is perceived subjectively, particularly in respect to recreational use. Five groups involved in the decision-making process were asked to select from a list of acreages or percentages the closest approximation for each of five land use categories. The responses produced considerable variation from the correct answers. Designated park areas tended to be overestimated and designated forest lands underestimated. While some differences were associated with group affiliation; visibility of areas, political importance, experience of individual, mode of access, proximity, and role of group member may also have been important determinants. The importance of space perception is dependent on type of process in decision making; in particular whether the process is incremental or comprehensive.
Comparison of agar plate and real-time PCR on enumeration of Lactobacillus, Clostridium perfringens and total anaerobic bacteria in dog faeces.

Aims: To compare agar plate and real-time PCR methods on enumeration of total anaerobic bacteria, Lactobacillus and Clostridium perfringens in dog faeces. Methods and Results: Thirty-two faecal specimens from Labrador retriever dogs were used to compare agar plate and real-time PCR enumeration methods for Lactobacillus, C. perfringens and total anaerobic bacteria. Total anaerobic bacteria, C. perfringens and Lactobacillus of faeces were counted (as CFU g−1 faeces) for 48-h incubation at 37°C in an anaerobic gas chamber on genus-selective media. Total genomic DNA from samples was extracted by the QIAamp® DNA stool mini kit. The quantification of DNA (as DNA copy per gram faeces) by real-time PCR was performed with a LightCycler system with the QuantiTectTM SYBR® green PCR kit for PCR amplification. The results indicated that there was a significant correlation between CFU and DNA copy of Lactobacillus (R2 = 0·78, P < 0·01) and total anaerobic bacteria (R2 = 0·21, P < 0·05); but no correlation was found between CFU and DNA copy of C. perfringens. The regression equations for Lactobacillus and total anaerobic bacteria were log(DNA copy) = 0·83 × log(CFU) + 1·43 and log(DNA copy) = 1·62 × log(CFU) − 6·32 respectively. Conclusions: The real-time PCR method could be used to enumerate Lactobacillus within 2 days when compared with plating method which requires 5–6 days. Significance and Impact of the Study: The real-time PCR method and the primer set for Lactobacillus spp. harboured in the dog intestine can be used for rapid enumeration of lactobacilli and monitoring of the faecal Lactobacillus community.
Standards-urgency of ethical standards intensifies in computer community

Background material on ethical standards in general is provided. The author discusses where ethical standards come from, how they are arrived at, and how they can be promoted and applied. His intent is to help prompt a wide-ranging discussion within the profession in general and the IEEE Computer Society in particular that will result in a consensus on a set of standards for the profession. >
Information mastery: integrating continuing medical education with the information needs of clinicians.

AbstractTraditional continuing medical education (CME) has been disconnected from the actual practice of medicine and has not focused on providing the most useful information in the most efficient way. Physicians have different information needs at different times. When asked at the end of a day of
Expression of Viral Arthritis-Tenosynovitis Infection in Immunosuppressed Chickens

Previously untreated chicks and those treated neonatally with either cyclophosphamide (CY) or infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) were subcutaneously inoculated with viral arthritis virus ( VAV ) to determine whether suppression of humoral immunity would affect VAV pathogenicity. No difference was apparent in the disease process that occurred in the immunosuppressed versus the nonimmunosuppressed chickens. However, in the immunosuppressed birds, VAV was recovered from the heart and tendon tissues earlier in the postinoculation (PI) period. Also, VAV inoculated immunosuppressed birds carried higher levels of serum gamma globulins at certain PI intervals than the VAV inoculated positive controls or the untreated negative control chickens. It is suggested that the suppression of the bursa of Fabricius (BF) by CY or IBDV did not interfere in the antibody production to VAV , but the antibody produced was qualitatively defective.
The effects of salicylate on enzymes of vitamin K metabolism

The mechanism of salicylate-induced hypoprothrombinaemia has been investigated in the rat. Salicylate administration produced an increase in the percentage of the total liver vitamin that was present as vitamin K 2,3-epoxide, but the addition of salicylate did not influence vitamin K epoxide reductase activity in-vitro. Neither did it influence vitamin K-dependent carboxylase or vitamin K epoxidase activity. Both cytosolic and microsomal DT-diaphorase activities were, however, inhibited about 50% by 75 microM sodium salicylate. Salicylate inhibition was also observed when vitamin K quinone and NADH or dithiothreitol were used to support carboxylation. To achieve 50% inhibition required 0.5 mM salicylate with NADH as a reductant and 4 mM salicylate when dithiothreitol was the reductant. These results suggest that the main effect of salicylate on vitamin K metabolism is to inhibit quinone reductases and may be useful in explaining the inhibition of the biosynthesis of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors that occurs in salicylate-induced hypothrombinaemia. These data also demonstrate that the percentage of total liver vitamin present as vitamin K epoxide can be increased by agents that do not have a direct effect on the vitamin K epoxide reductase in-vitro.
On the Possibility of Society: Classical Sociological Thought

The seriousness of an inquiry is determined by the depth and significance ofthe question that it poses. A tradition of thought is sustained by a continual renewal over many generations of a fundamental doubt, a conscious disquiet that is not stilled, perhaps because the mind does not and cannot, on account of its finitude, marshal the resources to provide an adequate resolution. The quality of thought is a function of the quality of doubt. The more important the question raised by in? quirers, the more thoroughly will their wits and energies be mobilized to answer it, and the more critical they will be of one another's responses. When the impor? tance of a query is at its maximum the very lives of those who pose it will be drawn into its resolution. At such a high level of attention, the boundaries between pri? vate life and public function, individual interest and social obligation, will col? lapse, not by defect or privation, but in the service of a comprehensive integrity. All of the investigator's resources, conscious and unconscious, will be deployed to respond to the question; and it will be impossible to determine whether the in? quirer subserves the project or the reverse. Such a genuine synthesis occurs only when a significant question is raised, because only such a question demands the commitment ofthe totality of experience for an approach to an adequate response. Only a few inquiries among all of those undertaken in society are serious in the sense that they require for their fulfillment a dedication of the inquirer's life to their service. The leading example of such a serious inquiry and the one which provides all others with significance and depth by contact with it is philosophy, particularly metaphysics and cosmology. It was a philosopher, Martin Heidegger (1962), who called attention in the twentieth century to the great extent to which the very structure of life is formed by the character of questions that guide inquiry. According to Heidegger, the fundamental question of philosophy?Why-are there things rather than not??is, when it is genuinely raised, the medium of authentic existence. Meditation on this question, for Heidegger, evokes wonder at Being for
Simulations of current driven three-dimensional Josephson junction arrays

Abstract We present Langevin simulations of anisotropic three-dimensional Josephson arrays driven by an external current. We study the superconducting phase transition at zero magnetic field, by analyzing both the helicity modulus and the voltage. We find that there is a well defined phase transition at any finite current smaller than the Josephson critical current. The critical temperature Tc(I) obtained decreases linearly with current I. We also find that the onset of voltage occurs at temperatures smaller than Tc(I). We discuss the consequences of this result for the interpretation of recent experiments in the flux transformer configuration.
Collection development in an interdisciplinary context

Abstract A steady erosion of academic disciplinary boundaries and a corresponding increase in interdisciplinary research have occured. These developments present a mounting but still imperfectly understood challenge for collection development and management in academic libraries. This paper examines interdisciplinary research in an academic library context and reports on a case study.
Signaling Goodness: Social Rules and Public Choice

Signaling Goodness: Social Rules and Public Choice. By Phillip J. Nelson and Kenneth V. Greene. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2003. 261p. $55.00.Are people good? Can they be? Is goodness intentional, or consequential? One way to think of goodness derives from Adam Smith's baker, whose selfishness drives him to bake good, cheap bread. If “good” institutions are enough, we can design mechanisms (with markets being one, but only one archetype) where the collective consequences of self-interest are not harmful. In politics, this invisible hand is the focus of Federalist #51: “Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.”
Design and identification of selective HER-2 sheddase inhibitors via P1′ manipulation and unconventional P2′ perturbations to induce a molecular metamorphosis

In an effort to obtain a MMP selective and potent inhibitor of HER-2 sheddase (ADAM-10), the P1' group of a novel class of (6S,7S)-7-[(hydroxyamino)carbonyl]-6-carboxamide-5-azaspiro[2.5]octane-5-carboxylates was attenuated and the structure-activity relationships (SAR) will be discussed. In addition, it was discovered that unconventional perturbation of the P2' moiety could confer MMP selectivity, which was hypothesized to be a manifestation of the P2' group effecting global conformational changes.
Induction of human adenocarcinoma cell differentiation by the phytoestrogen genistein is independent of its antiestrogenic function

The objective of the present study was to determine if genistein can induce human breast adenocarcinoma cell maturation. To gain understanding on its mechanism of action, we used estrogen receptor-positive (ER(+)) MCF-7, and ER MDA-MB-468 cells. Treating these cells with genistein resulted in growth inhibition accompanied by increased cell maturation, which was evaluated by the production of casein and lipids. These maturation markers were optimally expressed after nine days of treatment with 30 mu M of genistein. Since both ER(+) and ER(-) cells became differentiated, we conclude that the ER is not a component of the genistein-initiated scheme of cellular differentiation.
Synthesis of enantioenriched triarylmethanes by stereospecific cross-coupling reactions

Coupling with inversion: Chiral diarylmethanol derivatives undergo a stereospecific nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction with aryl Grignard reagents (see scheme). The reaction proceeds with inversion of configuration and high enantiospecificity. The method has been applied to the asymmetric synthesis of a triarylmethane-based anti-cancer compound.
Ethnic Specification, Validation Prospects, and the Future of Drug Use Research

Interest in drug use among America's major ethnic minority groups is rapidly increasing. Despite the welcomed interest, researchers tend to use broad ethnic labels to identify their samples. Such labels as "ethnic glosses" provide little information concerning the heterogeneity of each ethnic group and, in most instances, violate the guidelines concerning appropriate descriptions of sample characteristics. Use of broad ethnic descriptors particularly in drug use research creates external validity problems and prevents replications. Researchers are encouraged to obtain detailed information on the sociocultural characteristics of their samples by obtaining measures on ethnic identification, situated identity, and acculturative status. Use of ethnic identity and acculturation measures, however, can create problems in defining appropriate sample frames.
Thirteen-lined ground squirrels ( Ictidomys tridecemlineatus ) show microstructural bone loss during hibernation but preserve bone macrostructural geometry and strength

Lack of activity causes bone loss In most animals. Hibernating bears have physiological processes to prevent cortical and trabecular bone loss associated with reduced physical activity, but different mechanisms of torpor among hibernating species may lead to differences in skeletal responses to hibernation. There are conflicting reports regarding whether small mammals experience bone loss during hibernation. To investigate this phenomenon, we measured cortical and trabecular bone properties in physically active and hibernating juvenile and adult 13-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus, previous genus name Spermophilus). Cortical bone geometry, strength and mineral content were similar in hibernating compared with active squirrels, suggesting that hibernation did not cause macrostructural cortical bone loss. Osteocyte lacunar size increased (linear regression, P=0.001) over the course of hibernation in juvenile squirrels, which may indicate an osteocytic role in mineral homeostasis during hibernation. Osteocyte lacunar density and porosity were greater (+44 and +59%, respectively; P<0.0001) in hibernating compared with active squirrels, which may reflect a decrease in osteoblastic activity (per cell) during hibernation. Trabecular bone volume fraction in the proximal tibia was decreased (-20%; P=0.028) in hibernating compared with physically active adult squirrels, but was not different between hibernating and active juvenile squirrels. Taken together, these data suggest that 13-lined ground squirrels may be unable to prevent microstructural losses of cortical and trabecular bone during hibernation, but importantly may possess a biological mechanism to preserve cortical bone macrostructure and strength during hibernation, thus preventing an increased risk of bone fracture during remobilization in the spring.
Pioneers in Optics: Leonhard Euler and Étienne-Louis Malus

Leonhard Euler is best known as a prolific mathematician, but he also made notable contributions in optics and astronomy. He was born in Basel, Switzerland on April 15, 1707, the son of Paul Euler, a Protestant minister, and Margaret Brucker, the daughter of a Protestant minister. Accordingly, Leonhard Euler was raised to follow suit and join the ministry, but his father had sparked his interest in mathematics at a young age, and this interest was further cultivated at the University of Basel, which he entered at the age of fourteen. His prodigious ability in the field impressed renowned mathematics professor Johann Bernoulli, who allowed Euler to visit with him on Sundays to discuss any difficulties the young scholar had in understanding the advanced books on mathematics that he had recommended. Nevertheless, even in 1723, Euler still appeared to be set on a course that would lead him to the church, having gained his Master's degree in philosophy and embarked on studies of theology. Soon after, however, with the help of Bernoulli, Euler convinced his father to permit him to study mathematics instead.
Identification of hydroxyl radical oxidation products of N-hexanoyl-homoserine lactone by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the characterization of hydroxyl radical oxidation products of N-hexanoyl-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL), a member of the N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) class of microbial quorum-sensing signaling molecules identified in many Gram-negative strains of bacteria. Six products were identified: four with molecular weight (MW) of 213 and two with MW of 260. The characteristic product ions formed through collision-induced dissociation (CID) provided diagnostic structural information. One of the photolysis products was determined to be N-(3-oxohexanoyl)homoserine lactone (3OC6-HSL), a highly active quorum-sensing signal, by comparison with a reference standard. Three structural isomers with the same mass as 3OC6-HSL were identified as acyl side chain oxidized C6-HSL (keto/enol functionalized) by accurate mass measurement and the structures of these products were proposed from CID spectral interpretation. Two structural isomers formed from concurrent oxidation and nitration of C6-HSL were also observed and their structures were postulated based on CID spectra. In addition to the six hydroxyl radical oxidation products formed from the C6-HSL precursor, five additional compounds generated from combined oxidation and lactonolysis of C6-HSL were identified and structures were postulated. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Naegleria fowleri meningoencephalitis

A previously healthy 5-year-old boy presented with severe headache and neck stiffness. On examination, he exhibited somnolence and nuchal rigidity. The results of CSF studies were as follows: red blood cells, 400/mm3; white blood cells, 1,150/mm3 (91% polymorphonuclear cells); glucose level, …
Laparoscopic left adrenalectomy offers advantages to standard resection techniques in selected patients

A successful technique for performing left adrenalectomy is described. A retrospective review of patients undergoing left adrenalectomy through a flank incision at our institution revealed a mean 5 day post-operative stay. Our patient was discharged within 24 h of surgery without complications. Laparoscopic left adrenalectomy may offer advantages to standard resection techniques.
Attenuation of Platelet-Induced Vasorelaxation by Pretreatment of Platelets with Oxidized Low Density Lipoproteins: Important Role of Serotonin

Aggregating platelets cause relaxation of precontracted vascular tissues with intact endothelium. To determine the modulation of vasorelaxation by lipoprotein-rich platelets, rat platelets were preincubated with buffer, native low density lipoprotein (n-LDL, 100 μg protein/ml), oxidized LDL (ox-LDL, 100 μg protein/ml) or high density lipoprotein (HDL, 100 μg protein/ml) at 37°C for 1 hour, washed twice, and then suspended into organ baths containing precontracted endothelium-intact rat aortic rings. While all platelet preparations caused relaxation of rat aortic rings, the magnitude of relaxation induced by ox-LDL-treated platelets was less than that by buffer-treated platelets (p < 0.05). Pretreatment of platelets with native LDL or HDL did not affect the magnitude of vasorelaxation. Treatment of platelets with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (5 × 10−5 M) did not affect the attenuated vasorelaxation in response to ox-LDL-treated platelets. Pretreatment of aortic rings with the thromboxane (TX) ...
Computing valid intervals for collections of activities with shared states and resources

When scheduling a collection of activities, it is often useful to calculate the valid intervals for the collection with respect to shared resources and states. The constraints of these activities on shared resources and states need to be analyzed to avoid miscalculations due to interactions between the constraints. For shared resources, a combined profile is typically generated and used to compute the valid intervals. We present a technique for generating a combined profile for shared state constraints, which is subsequently used to compute valid intervals. We present empirical evidence indicating that our technique improves performance of our planner on real and synthetic problems when compared to the performance of the same planner using more naive techniques.
Reliable state feedback and reliable observers

New procedures for the design of reliable linear, time-invariant control systems are introduced. The reliable designs are of two classes: state-feedback designs that tolerate actuator outages, and observer-based designs that tolerate sensor outages. The design methods always yield a reliable controller, provided one exists, and provided that the resulting control systems retain stability and a prescribed H/sub infinity /-norm bound despite any outages within a prespecified subset of actuators or sensors. The development of the reliable observers assumes that the sensor failures are detected and that the observer dynamics is accordingly adjusted. An alternative output-feedback design approach is also given for which failure detection is not required; however, the reliability of the resulting designs must be verified by checking an auxiliary sufficient condition, or by analysis. An example shows that this condition is not always necessary for reliability. >
Self-Determination in an Era of Cultural Pluralism

The global village within which social workers find themselves is increasingly more culturally diverse. Social workers implementing the value of self-determination have difficulty understanding how...
Infrared spectrum and crystal structure of cellulose

$^{\#}$ Supported by the U. S. Public Health Service. $^{\#\#}$ Fulbright Fellow $^{1}$ K. H. Meyer and L. Misch, Helv., 20, 232 (1937; E.T. Peirce, Trans. Faraday Soc., 42, 545(1946); C. H. Legrand, Acta. Cryst., 5, 800 (1953).""
Ensuring data integrity in storage: techniques and applications

Data integrity is a fundamental aspect of storage security and reliability. With the advent of network storage and new technology trends that result in new failure modes for storage, interesting challenges arise in ensuring data integrity. In this paper, we discuss the causes of integrity violations in storage and present a survey of integrity assurance techniques that exist today. We describe several interesting applications of storage integrity checking, apart from security, and discuss the implementation issues associated with techniques. Based on our analysis, we discuss the choices and trade-offs associated with each mechanism. We then identify and formalize a new class of integrity assurance techniques that involve logical redundancy. We describe how logical redundancy can be used in today's systems to perform efficient and seamless integrity assurance.
Bending the value curve.

In health care policy circles, “bending the cost curve down” may qualify as the phrase of the decade. More than 1 million web search references are testament to its widespread use, intended to express a focus on reducing health care costs. Yet it should not surprise anyone familiar with technocratic vocabulary that there is no clear agreement on what the phrase means.1 Nonetheless, with health care spending nearing one-fifth of the nation’s gross domestic product,2 the nationwide clamor to “bend the cost curve down” is understandable. In this commentary, however, we discuss the shortfalls of focusing on costs alone and instead propose a national commitment to “bending the value curve up.” Although finding ways to control health care spending is certainly important, focusing on cost alone is neither sufficient nor appropriate. Calling out costs in isolation may be disconcerting to many stakeholders, including those whose health care services or livelihoods rely on this important sector of the economy. For example, patients might associate cutting costs with decreased access or hastily provided care, and clinicians may fear lower salaries or undue administrative pressures. Moreover, slicing away at high-quality and lifesaving programs for the poor, the young, the disabled, or the elderly or increasing the financial burden for disadvantaged populations is short-sighted and unfair.3,4 Beyond this, focusing on cost alone ignores the benefits to life and well-being that result from high-quality health care spending, even if it is associated with a high price tag. Rather than simply asking whether we are spending too much, we should also ask whether we are achieving the kind of care experiences and outcomes we would expect for the price we are paying. Value is the quality …
Hemoglobin thresholds for transfusion in pediatric patients at a large academic health center.

BACKGROUND Although prior studies support the use of a hemoglobin (Hb) transfusion trigger of 7 to 8 g/dL for most hospitalized adults, there are few studies in pediatric populations. We therefore investigated transfusion practices and Hb triggers in hospitalized children. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS We performed a historical cohort study comparing transfusion practices in hospitalized children by service within a single academic institution. Blood utilization data from transfused patients (n = 3370) were obtained from electronic records over 4 years. Hb triggers and posttransfusion Hb levels were defined as the lowest and last Hb measured during hospital stay, respectively, in transfused patients. The mean and percentile distribution for Hb triggers were compared to the evidence-based restrictive transfusion threshold of 7 g/dL. RESULTS Mean Hb triggers were above the restrictive trigger (7 g/dL) for eight of 12 pediatric services. Among all of the services, there were significant differences between the mean Hb triggers (>2.5 g/dL, p 3 g/dL, p < 0.0001). The variation between the 10th and 90th percentiles for triggers (up to 4 g/dL, p < 0.0001) and posttransfusion Hb levels (up to 6 g/dL, p < 0.0001) were significant. Depending on the service, between 25 and 90% of transfused patients had Hb triggers higher than the restrictive range. CONCLUSIONS Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion therapy varies significantly in hospitalized children with mean Hb triggers above a restrictive threshold for most services. Our findings suggest that transfusions may be overused and that implementing a restrictive transfusion strategy could decrease the use of RBC transfusions, thereby reducing the associated risks and costs.
Relativization in modern Greek

The claims made by Keenan and Comrie (and others) concerning relativization in Universal Grammar and the interaction of relative clause formation with the noun phrase accessibility hierarchy have necessarily been based on a limited amount of data from the many languages surveyed. A more detailed look, however, at relativization in one of the languages included in the sample, namely Modern Greek, reveals that certain aspects of Greek relative clause formation do not conform to the putative universals of relativization derived from the accessibility hierarchy. The necessary descriptive background for seeing how Greek provides this counter-evidence is given here, as is a discussion of the theoretical consequences of these facts.
Ethnic Politics, Federalism and Anti-regime Rebellion: An Alternate Theory

Do ethnic political parties in federal countries increase the chance that the groups they represent will rebel against the central government? Some argue that decentralization, segmental autonomy and federalism, can check rebellion by satisfying groups’ desire for control of their own aairs and shifting political competition to the local level, thus shifting the focus of power and potential conict for it outward from the center. Others argue that decentralization leads to the development of regional or ethnic parties which increases the salience of ethnic cleavages, the passage of legislation discriminating against other groups and group mobilization for ethnic conict and secessionism. I
The Universal Negro Improvement Association, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and Black Panther Party: Lessons for Understanding African American Culture-Based Organizing

This work examines the organizing models of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the Black Panther Party. Literature on the work of each organization is examined to uncover the organizing theory underlying the efforts of each group. Components of Rothman's community-organizing analysis framework, including (a) social philosophy, (b) power perspective, (c) goals, (d) mobilization methods, and (e) change strategies, are used to analyze first-person nonfiction and scholarly literature describing each movement. The analysis results in a five-component framework describing a theory of African American culture-based organizing, which includes (a) a definition of the target community, (b) a definition of community problems, (c) empowering oration, (d) antiracist hegemony focus, and (e) strategies that challenged existing power relationships. This article concludes with a discussion of the implications for conceptualizing community practice in African Amer...
Development of ability to penetrate the cumulus oophorus by hamster spermatozoa capacitated in vitro, in relation to the timing of the acrosome reaction

Hamster spermatozoa were tested for their ability to penetrate the intact cumulus matrix at low sperm:egg ratios (approximately 3:1). Uncapacitated spermatozoa attached to the surface of the cumulus and could not penetrate. Spermatozoa capacitated in vitro began to be able to penetrate after about 2 hr of preincubation, coincidentally with the first appearance of hyperactivation and spontaneous acrosome reactions. In all, 628 in vitro incubated spermatozoa were evaluated on and in cumuli: 270 could penetrate, but only ten of these were judged to have intact, “unmodified” acrosomes. Almost all spermatozoa capable of penetrating showed optically “modified” and swelling acrosomal caps, and this confirms previous observations on cumulus penetration in vivo. Penetration appeared limited to a phase in capacitation prior to completion of the acrosome reaction, as spermatozoa that had lost the acrosomal cap penetrated poorly and showed reduced viability. Penetration of the cumulus was inhibited by the hyaluronidase inhibitor sodium aurothiomalate. Cumulus penetrating ability could result either from a change in surface properties of the sperm at capacitation, which renders them less “sticky” to the matrix, or from release or activation of a “cumulus lysin.” We conclude that the ability to enter the cumulus matrix coincides with physiological changes in spermatozoa that occur during a terminal phase of capacitation preceding complete loss of the acrosomal cap, and that initiation of this process in vivo must precede sperm-zona contact.
The dynamics of assembling food webs

Community assembly is central to ecology, yet ecologists have amassed little quantitative information about how food webs assemble. Theory holds that colonisation rate is a primary driver of community assembly. We present new data from a mesocosm experiment to test the hypothesis that colonisation rate also determines the assembly dynamics of food webs. By manipulating colonisation rate and measuring webs through time, we show how colonisation rate governs structural changes during assembly. Webs experiencing different colonisation rates had stable topologies despite significant species turnover, suggesting that some features of network architecture emerge early and change little through assembly. But webs experiencing low colonisation rates showed less variation in the magnitudes of trophic fluxes, and were less likely to develop coupled fast and slow resource channels – a common feature of published webs. Our results reveal that food web structure develops according to repeatable trajectories that are strongly influenced by colonisation rate.
Modeling musically meaningful choreography

An automated choreographer is proposed to choose musically expressive dance moves, with a randomized move selection to preclude prediction by judges or audiences. Dance moves and music bars are scored on emotional attribute scales. At each bar, an optimization model ranks the move alternatives on their musical appropriateness, and a move is selected from a distribution biased towards the highest ranked moves. This biased distribution is discovered from performer-created dance routines, and the optimization model is validated by consistent bias across routines. The role of surprise in music and dance is also examined. The automated choreographer will find application in any setting in which optimizing some objective must be balanced with retaining the element of surprise.
Maternal Obesity: Risks for Developmental Delays in Early Childhood.

To assess the risk for neurodevelopmental delays for children of mothers who were obese (≥200 pounds) prior to pregnancy, and to characterize delays associated with maternal obesity among children referred to and found eligible to receive Early Intervention Program services. We conducted a retrospective cohort study (N = 541,816) using a population-based New York City data warehouse with linked birth and Early Intervention data. Risks for children suspected of a delay and ‘significantly delayed’, with two moderate or one severe delay, were calculated. Among the group of children eligible by delay for Early Intervention, analyses assessed risk for being identified with a moderate-to-severe delay across each of five functional domains as well as risks for multiple delays. Children of mothers who were obese were more likely to be suspected of a delay (adjusted RR 1.19 [CI 1.15–1.22]) and borderline association for ‘significantly delayed’ (adjusted RR 1.01 [CI 1.00–1.02). Among children eligible by delay, children of mothers who were obese evidenced an increased risk for moderate-to-severe cognitive (adjusted RR 1.04 [CI 1.02–1.07]) and physical (adjusted RR 1.04 [CI 1.01–1.08]) delays and for global developmental delay (adjusted RR 1.05 [CI 1.01–1.08]). Maternal obesity is associated with increased risk of developmental delay in offspring. Among children with moderate or severe delays, maternal obesity is associated with increased risk of cognitive and physical delays as well as with increased risk for global developmental delay. While causation remains uncertain, this adds to the growing body of research reporting an association between maternal obesity and neurodevelopmental delays in offspring.
Ecological problems

Man has exploited nature during the 19th and 20th centuries. Therefore, in America he has changed many productive Indian systems of life: the Oklahoma plains of the Kiow, rich in grass and buffalo, into a dust bowl; the Washington salmon streams of the Haida into a sequence of DDT-poisoned reservoirs; the British Columbian Kootenay Lake of the Tlinglit, filled with fish, into a recipient for fertilizers.
The Neisseria meningitidis CRISPR-Cas9 System Enables Specific Genome Editing in Mammalian Cells

The clustered regularly-interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)—CRISPR-associated (Cas) system from Streptococcus pyogenes (Spy) has been successfully adapted for RNA-guided genome editing in a wide range of organisms. However, numerous reports have indicated that Spy CRISPR-Cas9 systems may have significant off-target cleavage of genomic DNA sequences differing from the intended on-target site. Here, we report the performance of the Neisseria meningitidis (Nme) CRISPR-Cas9 system that requires a longer protospacer-adjacent motif for site-specific cleavage, and present a comparison between the Spy and Nme CRISPR-Cas9 systems targeting the same protospacer sequence. The results with the native crRNA and tracrRNA as well as a chimeric single guide RNA for the Nme CRISPR-Cas9 system were also compared. Our results suggest that, compared with the Spy system, the Nme CRISPR-Cas9 system has similar or lower on-target cleavage activity but a reduced overall off-target effect on a genomic level when sites containing three or fewer mismatches are considered. Thus, the Nme CRISPR-Cas9 system may represent a safer alternative for precision genome engineering applications.
Resolving individual steps of Okazaki-fragment maturation at a millisecond timescale

DNA polymerase delta (Pol δ) is responsible for elongation and maturation of Okazaki fragments. Pol δ and the flap endonuclease FEN1, coordinated by the PCNA clamp, remove RNA primers and produce ligatable nicks. We studied this process in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae machinery at millisecond resolution. During elongation, PCNA increased the Pol δ catalytic rate by >30-fold. When Pol δ invaded double-stranded RNA-DNA representing unmatured Okazaki fragments, the incorporation rate of each nucleotide decreased successively to 10-20% that of the preceding nucleotide. Thus, the nascent flap acts as a progressive molecular brake on the polymerase, and consequently FEN1 cuts predominantly single-nucleotide flaps. Kinetic and enzyme-trapping experiments support a model in which a stable PCNA-DNA-Pol δ-FEN1 complex moves processively through iterative steps of nick translation, ultimately completely removing primer RNA. Finally, whereas elongation rates are under dynamic dNTP control, maturation rates are buffered against changes in dNTP concentrations.
Investigating lenition patterns in south-central Peninsular Spanish /sp st sk/ clusters

In this study we report on an instrumental analysis of /sp st sk/ clusters in south-central Peninsular Spanish, documenting a three-way system of /s/ realization: speakers tend to produce alveolar fricatives in /st/ clusters, velar fricatives in /sk/ clusters, and glottal fricatives or deletions in /sp/ clusters. An analysis based on the discrete classification of /s/ variants shows that a combination of linguistic factors (following consonant and stress) influences /s/ realization. An analysis based on the phonetic coding of /s/ variants (using measures of fricative duration, relative voicing, and center of gravity) reveals the extent to which velar fricatives display an intermediate status along the phonetic continuum of /s/ lenition variations. Taken together, these analyses shed light on the nature of coda /s/ in Spanish and on the extent to which the attested allophony constitutes a lenition process.