cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Precision of Multisite Trials for Estimating the Parameters of a Cross-Site Population Distribution of Program Effects

Multisite trials, which are being used with increasing frequency in education and evaluation research, provide an exciting opportunity for learning about how the effects of interventions or programs are distributed across sites. In particular, these studies can produce rigorous estimates of a cross-site mean effect of program assignment (intent-to-treat), a cross-site standard deviation of the effects of program assignment, and a difference between the cross-site mean effects of program assignment for two subpopulations of sites. However, to capitalize on this opportunity will require adequately powering future trials to estimate these parameters. To help researchers do so, we present a simple approach for computing the minimum detectable values of these parameters for different sample designs. The article then uses this approach to illustrate for each parameter, the precision trade-off between increasing the number of study sites and increasing site sample size. Findings are presented for multisi...
Fire severity alters the distribution of pyrogenic carbon stocks across ecosystem pools in a Californian mixed‐conifer forest

Pyrogenic carbon (PyC) is hypothesized to play an important role in the carbon (C) cycle due to its resistance to decomposition; however, much uncertainty still exists regarding the stocks of PyC that persist on-site after the initial erosion in post-fire forests. Therefore, understanding how fire characteristics influence PyC stocks is vital, particularly in the context of California forests for which an increase of high-severity fires is predicted over the next decades. We measured forest C and persistent PyC stocks in areas burned by low-to-moderate and high-severity fire, as well as in adjacent unburned areas in a California mixed-conifer forest, two to three years after wildfire. We measured C and PyC stocks in the following compartments: standing trees, downed wood, forest floor and mineral soil (0–5 cm), and we identified PyC using the weak nitric acid digestion method. We found that the total stock of PyC did not differ among fire severity classes (overall mean 248 ± 30 g C m−2); however, fire severity influenced the distribution of PyC in the individual compartments. Areas burned by high-severity fire had 2.5 times more PyC stocked in the coarse woody debris (p < 0.05), 3.3 times more PyC stocked in standing trees (p < 0.05) and a lower PyC stock in the forest floor (−22%, p < 0.05) compared to low-to-moderate fire severity areas. These results have important implications for the permanence time of PyC, which is putatively higher in standing trees and coarse woody debris compared to the forest floor, where it is susceptible to rapid losses through erosion.
case selection and the comparative method: introducing the case selector

We introduce a web application, the Case Selector ( http://und.edu/faculty/brian.urlacher ), that facilitates comparative case study research designs by creating an exhaustive comparison of cases from a dataset on the dependent, independent, and control variables specified by the user. This application was created to aid in systematic and transparent case selection so that researchers can better address the charge that cases are ‘cherry picked.’ An examination of case selection in a prominent study of rebel behaviour in civil war is then used to illustrate different applications of the Case Selector.
Preparing Future SLPs for the Clinical World of Cultural-Linguistic Diversity

Language use in the United States has become increasingly diverse. One in five U.S. residents speaks a language other than English at home, with over 350 languages spoken in the nation. There is a ...
Design of continuously graded elastic acoustic cloaks

This letter demonstrates the design of continuously graded elastic cylinders to achieve passive cloaking from harmonic acoustic excitation, both at single frequencies and over extended bandwidths. The constitutive parameters in a multilayered, constant-density cylinder are selected in a partial differential equation-constrained optimization problem, such that the residual between the pressure field from an unobstructed spreading wave in a fluid and the pressure field produced by the cylindrical inclusion is minimized. The radial variation in bulk modulus appears fundamental to the cloaking behavior, while the shear modulus distribution plays a secondary role. Such structures could be realized with functionally-graded elastic materials.
AnthropoTrumpism : Trump and the politics of environmental disruption

The initial year of the Trump presidency has produced wrenching disruption in federal environmental policy, practice, and management. This is largely a result of a culture war that has been raging in much of the USA for several decades. Although Trump’s election was not a referendum on environmental protection, it did reflect deep divisions in public attitudes toward federal regulation and elite, science-driven models of policy making. Trump’s reliance on strategic distraction, normalization of bad behavior, and “alternative facts” has kept his base energized, but it has also produced a growing crisis of legitimacy that calls into question the future of both democracy and sustainability.
Deuterium as a quantitative tracer of enhanced microbial methane production

Abstract Microbial production of natural gas in subsurface organic-rich reservoirs (e.g., coal, shale, oil) can be enhanced by the introduction of amendments (e.g., algal extracts from biofuel production) to stimulate microbial communities to generate “new” methane resources on human timescales, potentially providing a lower carbon energy source. This study tests deuterated water as a tracer to quantify the amount of “new” methane generated and the effectiveness of Microbial Enhancement of Coalbed Methane (MECoM) approaches, as methanogens incorporate hydrogen from formation waters into methane during methanogenesis. Microorganisms (including methanogens), formation water, and coal obtained from the Powder River Basin were used to establish batch reactor stimulation experiments, using algal extracts, in which incremental amounts of deuterated water were added. The greatest amount of methane was produced in the amended coal-associated experiments and there was a consistent uptake of D into microbial methane. The shorter duration (36 days) coal amended experiment had a lower slope (m = 0.31) of δD-CH4 vs. δD-H2O and a similar offset between δD-H2O and δD-CH4 (371.2‰) compared to the longer duration (m = 0.44; 114 days; 358.8‰ offset) experiment, both consistent with the stimulation of primarily acetoclastic methanogenesis. The success of our proof-of-concept laboratory experiments confirms that deuterated water can be used as a quantitative tracer of stimulated coal-associated methanogenic activity. We also provide an example of how it can be applied in field-scale MECoM projects. In addition, deuterated water may serve as a useful tracer for other natural or enhanced subsurface microbial activities, such as microbial enhanced oil recovery or bioremediation of organic contaminants.
Contempt or Communion? Biblical Theology Faces Homosexual Inclusion

The question of ecclesial and synagogal inclusion1 of uncloseted lesbians and gay men places upon Hebrew-Christian biblical understanding a task of revolutionary ramifications the implications of which have only begun to be felt. We face the challenge of a historic shift of biblical paradigms, and no guarantee exists that teachers of scripture will successfully meet the challenge, carrying their communities forward into a new place of promise or leaving them in the sad bondage of rancorous controversy.
Mixed Leukocyte Cultures: A Cellular Approach to Histocompatibility Testing1

Publisher Summary The mixed leukocyte culture ( MLC ) test represents an in vitro model of the recognitive phase of the allograft reaction. The lymphocytes of a potential recipient are mixed with the lymphocytes of a potential donor to assay the response of lymphocytes of the recipient as they recognize foreign histocompatibility antigens on the cells of the donor. Lymphocytes are used both as the responding cells and as the stimulating cells. Lymphocytes carry the cell surface antigens that are associated with the major histocompatibility complex (MHC); therefore, they are used as the test cells reflecting the histocompatibility antigens that are carried by tissues to be transplanted. Whereas the lymphocytes represent a useful cell population for interaction, macrophages or adherent cells must be present in the MLC to allow the lymphocytes to interact. The methods most commonly used for the MLC test at the present time attempt to conserve on the number of cells needed to obtain results. In addition, a number of technical modifications is introduced to save time needed to perform the assay.
Association of endogenous sex hormone levels with coronary artery calcium progression among post-menopausal women in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Abstract Background Sex differences in the incidence and manifestation of cardiovascular disease (CVD) suggest the involvement of sex hormones in disease pathogenesis. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) and its progression, measured by non-contrast cardiac computed tomography, are markers of subclinical atherosclerosis and predict CVD, even among low-risk women. We hypothesized that sex hormone levels were associated with CAC progression among women in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Methods We studied 2759 post-menopausal women (age 65 ± 9 years), free of baseline CVD, with baseline serum sex hormones and CAC measured at Exam 1 (2000–2002). Of this sample, 2427 had ≥1 follow-up CAC measurement through Exam 5 (2010–2012). Using mixed effects linear regression methods, we tested change in log[CAC+1] score by log[sex hormone] levels (continuous, comparing the 90th versus 10th percentiles). Models adjusted for demographics, lifestyle factors, cardiovascular risk factors, hormone therapy, and years since menopause. Results At baseline, we found no associations between sex hormones and prevalent CAC. Over a median of 4.7 years, in fully-adjusted models, women with higher free testosterone levels had relatively greater CAC progression [Ratio 1.26 (95% CI 1.01–1.56)], whereas higher sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) was associated with lower progression risk [0.80 (0.64–0.99). No associations were seen for total testosterone, estradiol, or dehydroepiandrosterone. Conclusion A more androgenic hormone profile of higher free testosterone and lower SHBG is associated with a greater CAC progression up to 10-years in post-menopausal women. Sex hormone levels may help identify women at increased risk for CVD who may benefit from additional risk-reducing strategies.
The Low Mandible Maneuver: Preliminary Study of Its Effects on Aerodynamic and Acoustic Measures.

Summary Objectives The purpose of this preliminary study was to determine the aerodynamic and acoustic effects of the low mandible maneuver (LMM) as compared to normal voice production. Methods Ten participants with normal voice characteristics who were nonsingers produced sustained vowel and repeated syllable utterances during two different speaking conditions: using the LMM and using normal phonation posture. The LMM involves a wider vocal tract configuration with a lowered and relaxed jaw position. Acoustic recordings and analyses were performed to determine formants 1 and 2 (F1 and F2) and sound pressure level. Aerodynamic data were collected and analyzed to investigate the effects of the LMM on mean peak pressure, mean airflow, aerodynamic power, aerodynamic efficiency, and aerodynamic resistance. Results Participants showed greater aerodynamic efficiency, mean peak pressure, and sound pressure level during the LMM condition as compared to normal phonation. The LMM vocal tract configuration changes were also associated with a lowering of F1 and F2 relative to normal voice production. Conclusions The lowering of the mandible and increased oral area that occurred during the LMM increased vocal efficiency and sound output without significant change to parameters that can be associated with increased vocal effort. These changes in filter configuration were associated with changes in vocal tract resonances. The LMM was readily learned and implemented by healthy participants in this study, and may have utility for singers in training as well as people with hyperfunctional voice disorders.
The value of structured radiology reports to categorize intracranial metastases following radiation therapy

PurposeRadiology descriptions of intracranial metastases following radiotherapy are often imprecise. This study sought to improve such reports by creating and disseminating a structured template th...
Experimental characterization of hydrogen adsorption sites for H/W(111) using low energy ion scattering

Low energy ion scattering (LEIS) and direct recoil spectroscopy (DRS) are among the few experimental techniques that allow for the direct detection of hydrogen on a surface. The interpretation of LEIS and DRS measurements, however, is often made difficult by complexities that can arise from complicated scattering processes. Previously, these complexities were successfully navigated to identify the exact binding configurations of hydrogen on a few surfaces using a simple channeling model for the projectile ion along the surface. For the W(111) surface structure, this simple channeling model breaks down due to the large lateral atomic spacing on the surface and small interlayer spacing. Instead, our observed hydrogen recoil signal can only be explained by considering not just channeling along the surface but also scattering from subsurface atoms. Using this more complete model, together with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we determine that hydrogen adsorbs to the bond-centered site for the W(111)$+\text{H}$(ads) system. Additional MD simulations were performed to further constrain the adsorption site to a height $h=1.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1\phantom{\rule{3.33333pt}{0ex}}\AA{}$ and a position ${d}_{\mathrm{BC}}=1.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1\phantom{\rule{3.33333pt}{0ex}}\AA{}$ along the bond between neighbors in first and second layers. Our determination of the hydrogen adsorption site is consistent with density functional theory simulation results in the literature.
Abstract 5221: Development of TGN-1076, a selective and reversible small molecule inhibitor of CDK7

Purpose: Tumor genetic heterogeneity can lead to dysregulation of transcriptional programs and cause cancer cells to become highly dependent on certain regulators of gene expression. Super-enhancers (SEs) are a class of regulatory regions that are associated with a strong enrichment of transcriptional coactivators (MED1, BRD4) and chromatin marks (H3K27Ac). It has been shown that tumor cells can acquire SEs at oncogenic driver genes (MYC, TERT, BCL2, GFI1, MED1, OCT4, and SOX2), activate their expression, and induce transcriptional reprogramming. Importantly, the majority of super-enhancers depend on the ability of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) to initiate transcription by phosphorylating the C-terminal domain of RNA Pol II. Recent reports have shown that high level of CDK7 is associated with poor prognosis in breast, gastric, ovarian, pancreatic, SCLC, ATC, and AML cancers. We have embarked on developing a novel therapeutic that specifically targets the CDK7 catalytic ATP pocket. Previously, we reported the discovery of TGN-1062 as a potent inhibitor of CDK7. In this study, we report the development of TGN-1076, an analog of TGN-1062, as a selective and reversible inhibitor of CDK7 due to its ideal candidate criteria. Methods: With structure-guided and iterative medicinal chemistry approaches, the previous lead candidate TGN-1062 was further optimized to improve potency, target selectivity, and desirable drug-like properties. In vitro kinase assays were performed using ADP-GloTM kinase assay kit (Promega). Cell viability assays were performed in a panel of cancer cell lines using CellTiter-Glo assay kit (Promega). RNA Pol II phosphorylation and total MYC protein levels were determined by Western Blotting. Results: TGN-1076 inhibited CDK7 activity with an IC50 of 20 nM and showed 10-500 fold selectivity against the closest members of the CDK family. TGN-1076 blocked growth of multiple cancer cells, among these pancreatic cancer cells were most sensitive with an GI50 of 5 µM) against hERG and multiple P450 isozymes. The results from these studies along with ADME-Tox and pharmacokinetics will be presented. Conclusion: In summary, we have developed a novel selective and reversible inhibitor of CDK7. Our current efforts are focused on further optimization and nomination of a preclinical candidate for ADME-Tox and tumor efficacy studies. Citation Format: Trason Thode, Zhaoliang Li, Alexis Weston, Srikanta Dana, Sherin Daniel Ampanattu, Raffaella Soldi, Mohan Rao Kaadige, Hariprasad Vankayalapti, Vincent Chung, Joseph Chao, Daniel D Von Hoff, Sunil Sharma. Development of TGN-1076, a selective and reversible small molecule inhibitor of CDK7 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 5221.
Automated Performance Tuning for Highly-Configurable Software Systems.

Performance is an important non-functional aspect of the software requirement. Modern software systems are highly-configurable and misconfigurations may easily cause performance issues. A software system that suffers performance issues may exhibit low program throughput and long response time. However, the sheer size of the configuration space makes it challenging for administrators to manually select and adjust the configuration options to achieve better performance. In this paper, we propose ConfRL, an approach to tune software performance automatically. The key idea of ConfRL is to use reinforcement learning to explore the configuration space by a trial-and-error approach and to use the feedback received from the environment to tune configuration option values to achieve better performance. To reduce the cost of reinforcement learning, ConfRL employs sampling, clustering, and dynamic state reduction techniques to keep states in a large configuration space manageable. Our evaluation of four real-world highly-configurable server programs shows that ConfRL can efficiently and effectively guide software systems to achieve higher long-term performance.
Widespread Adoption of Low-Value Therapy: The Case of Bronchiolitis and High-Flow Oxygen.

* Abbreviations: CPG — : clinical practice guideline HFNC — : high-flow nasal cannula Bronchiolitis is one of the most common reasons for pediatric hospitalization in the United States, incurring costs of $734 million each year.1 Supportive care is the mainstay of treatment, with numerous studies demonstrating the futility of adjunct therapies including corticosteroids, β-agonists, epinephrine, and hypertonic saline. In this issue of Pediatrics , Kalburgi and Halley2 describe patterns of adoption of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy in general pediatric units in the United States and Canada, illustrating wide uptake of another intervention for bronchiolitis that is not supported by evidence. Surveying 114 hospitals that participate in the Pediatric Research in Inpatient Settings Network, Kalburgi and Halley2 found that 48% of hospitals use HFNC therapy for bronchiolitis on the general pediatric ward. At three-quarters of hospitals using HFNC therapy, locally developed protocols guided its use. These guidelines are heterogeneous and vary in their scope, with only 68% including criteria for HFNC initiation, 57% including criteria for HFNC discontinuation, and less than one-quarter including guidelines for feeding and/or nutritional support concurrent with HFNC administration. A salient concept … Address correspondence to JoAnna K. Leyenaar, MD, PhD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics and The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Williamson Building and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH 03756. E-mail: joanna.k.leyenaar{at}hitchcock.org
Associating GB characteristics with its sink efficiency in absorbing Frank loops in Cu

Abstract Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are performed to investigate the interaction of a migrating grain boundary (GB) with interstitial Frank loops, using a set of GBs along the [100] tilt axis in Cu as model systems. Our results show that the interaction is directly related to the misorientation angle. Specifically, three modes of interaction are observed as a function of misorientation angle. The sink efficiency of a GB, namely, the capability of a GB to absorb the Frank loops, increases with misorientation angle. The above trends are explained based on the differences in the structural units comprising the GB. Additionally, the transition angle between different modes can be altered by varying the local GB structure.
Conclusion—A Future Vision of Social Work with Moreno’s Methods

This brief conclusion offers a new vision for the integration of Moreno’s methods into the social work field. Moreno’s triadic system, sociometry, psychodrama, and group psychotherapy, provides social workers with group work skills lacking in most social work curriculums but are essential for competent practice. This chapter is largely written in the form of a psychodramatic process which includes role reversing with a social work leader in the year 2074 at the 100th year anniversary of Jacob Moreno’s death. This role reversal into an idealized future provides a reflection on how the social work field could benefit from the full integration of sociometry and psychodrama into its repertoire.
Intentional Bilateral Renal Artery Coverage During Ruptured Endovascular Paraanastomotic Pseudoaneurysm Repair

Abstract The development of a paraanastomotic pseudoaneurysm is a serious complication after open prosthetic reconstruction of the aorta for occlusive or aneurysmal disease. Open repair of these lesions has previously been associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Endovascular repair may provide suitable treatment for proximal paraanastomotic aortic bypass graft pseudoaneurysms in patients who are poor candidates for open surgery. Bilateral renal artery coverage may be necessary to achieve adequate fixation and seal during life-threatening emergency cases of pseudoaneurysm rupture. Due to the infrequency of reported cases, the consequences of bilateral renal artery occlusion during these complex procedures are poorly understood. We present a case of a proximal paraanastomotic aortobifemoral bypass pseudoaneurysm rupture that was managed using endovascular repair with intentional coverage of both renal arteries. We also review the contemporary literature on endovascular management of paraanastomotic aneurysms and discuss the role of bilateral renal artery coverage in treating select patients with complex ruptured aortic pathology.
Arbitration as a Final Award: Challenges and Enforcement

This unique instructional text combines substantial coverage of both the U.N. Convention on Contracts for the Sale of Goods (the CISG) and International Commercial Arbitration, emphasizing the significance of both in promoting transactions in goods across national borders. The book sets the stage for each in an introductory chapter providing an overview of international trade, generally, along with some of the basic issues raised by cross-border trade and the mechanisms for addressing these issues. The full text of Chapter 10, addressing enforcement of arbitration awards, is provided as an example of the basic approach employed throughout the book.
Deploying information agents on the web

The information resources on the Web are vast, but much of the Web is based on a browsing paradigm that requires someone to actively seek information. Instead, one would like to have information agents that continuously attend to one's personal information needs. Such agents need to be able to extract the relevant information from web sources, integrate data across sites, and execute efficiently in a networked environment. In this paper I describe the technologies we have developed to rapidly construct and deploy information agents on the Web. This includes wrapper learning to convert online sources into agent-friendly resources, query planning and record linkage to integrate data across different sites, and streaming dataflow execution to efficiently execute agent plans. I also describe how we applied this work within the Electric Elves project to deploy a set of agents for continuous monitoring of travel itineraries.
Responses of Antioxidants to Paraquat in Pea Leaves (Relationships to Resistance)

Differnential sensitivity to the oxidant paraquat was observed in pea (Pisum sativum L.) based on cultivar and leaf age. To assess contributions of inductive responses of the antioxidant enzymes in short-term resistance to oxidative damage, activities of glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and transcript levels for plastidic GR, Cu,Zn SOD, and cytosolic APX were determined. Responses to paraquat exposure from three different leaf age classes of pea were studied. Resistance was correlated with leaf age, photosynthetic rates, enzyme activities, and pretreatment levels of plastid GR and plastid Cu,Zn SOD transcripts. In response to paraquat, small increases in activities of GR and APX were observed in the more resistant leaves. These changes were not reflected at the mRNA level for the plastidic GR or Cu,Zn SOD. Paraquat-mediated increases in cytosolic APX mRNA occurred in all leaf types, irrespective of resistance. Developmentally controlled mechanisms determining basal antioxidant enzyme activities, and not inductive responses, appear to be critical factors mediating short-term oxidative stress resistance.
Calcium binding to brain synaptosomes: Effects of chronic ethanol intake☆

Abstract The effects of chronic ethanol intake (16 days) on the Ca 2+ binding activity of rat brain synaptosomes were explored. Two different procedures were used for the determination of Ca 2+ interactions with the synaptosomal membranes. The chelator fluorescent probe chlorotetracycline was employed for fluorescence measurements of Ca 2+ -membrane interaction, and the direct assay of 45 Ca binding to the same preparations was used as an index of Ca 2+ binding capacity at micromolar Ca 2+ concentrations. Both methods gave qualitatively very similar results. Chronic ethanol treatment resulted in a significant decrease in the 45 Ca binding capacity of the synaptosomal membranes which was found to be related to a decrease in the maximum number of binding sites: 11.24 nmoles·mg −1 protein for the controls as opposed to 6.10 nmoles for the ethanol-treated animals. No significant changes in the dissociation constant of this 45 Ca binding to the membranes was observed. In addition, the membrane preparations from the chronically treated subjects were found to be relatively resistant to the in vitro effects of ethanol on Ca 2+ interaction with the synaptosomes. Ethanol at concentrations from 5 to 100 mM caused biphasic increases of both 45 Ca binding to, and CTC fluorescence of, synaptosomes from controls, though it caused minimal changes in either measure in synaptosomes from chronically ethanol-treated animals. These results are suggestive of the appearance of tolerance to the activity of ethanol at the membrane level.
A Review Of “Robert W. Taylor, Tory J. Caeti, D. Kall Loper, Eric J. Fritsch, and John Liederbach, Digital Crime and Digital Terrorism“

Every so often, you hear these fantastic tales: a “cyber jihad” (31), teenagers cracking code to nuclear missiles (82), or how about a “cyber kidnapping” (373–374)? Isn't this mostly fodder for TV ...
Diffusion and Permeability

Any substance in solution (or in a gas) tends to move from regions of higher concentration to regions of lower concentration until the substance is uniformly distributed. (The diffusion equations also apply to the diffusion of heat in solids.) Once uniformly distributed (i.e., at equilibrium), the molecules of the substance continue to move about, but the net movement is zero. In the absence of convection currents, the movement of the molecules is by diffusion. Diffusion occurs because of the random thermal motion of the molecules. If a region of high solute concentration is adjacent to one of low solute concentration, separated by an imaginary plane, the probability is that there will be more molecules per unit of time crossing the plane from the side of higher concentration to the side of lower concentration than there are crossing in the opposite direction. Thus, there is a flux or movement of molecules in both directions (unidirectional fluxes), but the net flux is from the side of higher concentration to the side of lower concentration. Now if the imaginary plane were replaced with a thin membrane permeable to the molecules, then the same situation applies; namely, the particles diffuse from the side of higher concentration to the side of lower concentration across the membrane.
The Second Silicon Revolution

A new generation of high-power electronic controllers has begun revolutionizing the transmission and distribution of electricity and improving the quality of power delivered to utility customers.
The Impact of Climate Change on the Great Plains Low-Level Jet.

The Great Plains low-level jet is an important atmospheric phenomena that impacts midwestern agriculture. It has been linked to insect pest migration and it influences springtime precipitation. The Great Plains low-level jet is sensitive to parameters, such as soil moisture that may be altered under a "doubled COg" climate. The goal of this research was to determine the likely impact of the projected climate change, due to increased levels of CO2, on the Great Plains low-level jet, and to then assess the likely consequent impact on agriculture. In this study a three-dimensional, anelastic, hydrostatic atmospheric boundary-layer model was used to evaluate the effect of the projected changes on the Great Plains low-level jet. This evaluation involved two major steps, the first being to identify parameters that might change under climate change scenarios and to determine the sensitivity of the low-level jet to these parameters. The second step then involved evaluating the impact of several different possible climate change scenarios on the lowlevel jet. Finally, the possible implications for agriculture are discussed. Adding confidence to the study's conclusions, comparison with a spring 1992 synoptic episode, in which detailed observations of the lowlevel jet were made, indicated that the model was performing adequately. Results indicate that, except at extreme levels, soil moisture was the dominant factor to which the jet displayed sensitivity. The control levels of soil-moisture, used by the global climate models were either very wet or very dry. Thus, the response of the jet to "GCM climate changes"
Synthesis of lipopolysaccharide O side chains by Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 requires the enzyme phosphomannomutase.

We have cloned a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthetic gene from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 that complements the defect in the production and incorporation of LPS O side chains in the LPS-rough strain AK1012. This gene was characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, deletion and restriction mapping of the cloned DNA, and biochemical analysis of the protein product. The cloned DNA was found to map to the 7-to-11-min region of the P. aeruginosa chromosome, and the gene needed for complementation of the LPS-rough phenotype was contained on a 2.6-kb HindIII-SacI fragment. This same size restriction fragment contains the alginate gene algC, which encodes the enzyme phosphomannomutase (PMM) and also maps to this region of the P. aeruginosa chromosome. The LPS-rough strain AK1012 was deficient in PMM activity, and this activity was restored to parental levels when the cloned gene was transferred to strain AK1012. In addition, the cloned gene could complement the PMM deficiency in the algC mutant strain 8858, and the cloned algC gene could restore the LPS-smooth phenotype to strain AK1012. These results indicate that the gene we have cloned is equivalent to the alginate gene algC. We designate this gene pmm to emphasize that it encodes the enzyme PMM, which has been shown to be essential for alginate production, and we demonstrate that PMM activity is required for the LPS-smooth phenotype in P. aeruginosa PAO1. Images
Case 19: What Should You Do?

As a junior faculty member you are offered to participate in a simple clinical study. The study deals with the ability of anesthesiologists to estimate blood loss by just examining the blood on surgical sponges.
Endoscopic Management of Biliary Obstruction

Endoscopic management of biliary obstruction has evolved tremendously since the introduction of flexible fiber-optic endoscopes over 50 years ago. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) was introduced nearly a decade after flexible upper endoscopy and has since become the mainstay of therapy for relieving obstruction of the biliary tract. In addition, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) has gained increasing favor as an auxiliary diagnostic and therapeutic modality for management of obstructive biliary tract disorders. In this chapter, we review the current and continually evolving role of gastrointestinal endoscopy in the management of biliary obstruction.
Prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium determined by DNA probe in men with urethritis.

Abstract The prevalence of urethral infection with Mycoplasma genitalium was determined by use of a DNA probe in 203 men attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic. M genitalium was detected in 3 (14%) of 21 with acute gonococcal urethritis; 3 (10%) of 30 with acute chlamydia-positive non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU); 4 (13%) of 31 with acute chlamydia-negative NGU; 10 (27%) of 37 with persistent or recurrent NGU; and 10 (12%) of 84 with no urethritis. The organism was more prevalent in homosexual (11 [30%] of 37) than in heterosexual men (19 [11%] of 166; p=0·009). These data do not support an important aetiological role for M genitalium in acute urethritis, but suggest that it may account for some cases of NGU that become persistent or recurrent. The higher prevalence of urethral infection in homosexual men suggests that M genitalium may reside in the gastrointestinal tract.
Solvent induced structural dynamics of ruthenium pentacarbonyl in benzene

Abstract The equilibrium structure of Ru(CO) 5 in benzene has been investigated using FTIR spectroscopy and DFT calculations. It was determined that 68% of the Ru(CO) 5 molecules form a weak complex with a single benzene molecule under ambient conditions. At ambient temperature a Gibbs free energy of −1.92 kJ/mol and an equilibrium constant of 2.16 was determined for the complexation reaction. The DFT calculations predict that the complex formation occurs via electron donation from the complexing benzene to the carbonyl ligands in Ru(CO) 5 at an optimum distance of ∼500 pm from the metal center to the benzene plane.
Other Powers: The Age of Suffrage, Spiritualism, and the Scandalous Victoria Woodhull

Billed as a clairvoyant and magnetic healer in her father's travelling medicine show, Victoria Woodhull was a devotee and practitioner of those "other powers" that attracted ten million Americans to join the Spiritualist movement. She became Commodore Vanderbilt's spiritual and financial adviser, and was the first woman to address a joint session of Congress, arguing that women as citizens should have the right to vote. A heretical "high priestess" of free love, newspaper editor and proprietor, she founded the first stockbrokerage firm for women and, in 1872, ran against Horace Greeley and Ulysses S. Grant for the presidency of the United States. When her past as a prostitute was revealed, she fought against the hypocrisy of her detractors by publishing an expose of the sexual infidelities of preacher Henry Ward Beecher, which led to the Beecher-Tilton trial and her own ruin. This biography of Victoria Woodhull tells of the battle for women's suffrage, the Spiritualist movement and the fight that pitted black men against white women in the struggle to win the vote.
Valproate doubles the anoxic survival time of normal developing mice: possible relevance to valproate-induced decreases in cerebral levels of glutamate and aspartate, and increases in taurine.

Abstract We have previously reported that chronic administration of valproate in developing mice decreased brain aspartic and glumatic acid levels and increased the brain taurine content. The direction of the valproate-induced changes in the cerebral levels of these neurotransmitter amino acids - excitatory in the case of aspartate and glutamate, inhibitory in the case of taurine - appeared relevant to the mechanism of its anticonvulsant action. Since the neuropathology of hypoxia-ischemia also appears to be mediated by release of glutamate/aspartate at the synapse, the valproate-induced reduction of the levels of these neuroexcitatory/neurotoxic amino acids suggested that valproate might increase the tolerance of young mice to anoxia. A doubling of the length of survival of the intact animal in an atmosphere of pure nitrogen gas and a three-fold increase in the duration of respiratory activity (gasping) of the isolated head after chronic administration of valproate support the speculation.
Fine structure of a cerebellar "fibroma".

The fine structure of an intracerebellar “fibroma” has been examined. The tumor consists of irregularly-shaped cells connected by well developed junctional complexes. Unusual, fenestrated capillaries with extremely narrow and irregular lumens are frequent. Collagen fibers are not common but the wide extracellular spaces contain large amounts of dense, granular or fibrillar material. The dense material coats the tumor cells and is apparently secreted from small vesicles found within these cells.
A novel approach for measuring resistance of Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes to hydrogen peroxide using label-free magnetic resonance imaging and relaxometry

Abstract Sanitation is a critical step to reduce microbial load in many process industries. To assess and monitor the efficacy of sanitation processes, there is a need to rapidly measure microbial resistance to sanitizers and determine the critical concentration of sanitizers above which significant reduction in microbial load can be achieved in a complex environment. In this study, a rapid and label-free magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and relaxometry method was developed to measure resistance of Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes to hydrogen peroxide based on the activity of intracellular catalase enzymes. Intracellular catalase activity is a measure of resistance of bacteria to hydrogen peroxide as these enzymes can degrade hydrogen peroxide to oxygen and water. Using sub-lethal and lethal concentration of hydrogen peroxide, the resistance of both the exponential and stationary growth phase E. coli suspended in PBS and in high organic content solution was characterized. The results show that in stationary growth phase E. coli , molecular oxygen, generated by the interaction of endogenous catalases with 1% H 2 O 2, results in an 8 fold increase in MR imaging signal intensity and a 22 fold decrease in spin-lattice relaxation time (T 1 ) compared to the controls. Furthermore, the resistance of E. coli and L. monocytogenes to H 2 O 2 , measured using the MR method, was correlated with the bacterial reduction, quantified with traditional plate counting method. The comparison between the two methods shows the MR method developed in this study can determine the critical concentration of H 2 O 2 above which a significant reduction in bacterial culturability (at least 4 logs) was achieved. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of MR imaging and relaxometry method to predict the efficacy of H 2 O 2 in high organic load environment.
Synthesis and spectroscopic studies of 2-(1,1-dimethylhydrazono) propyl phosphonates

The synthesis of diethyl 2-(1,1-dimethylhydrazono)propyl phosphonate (1) and its 1-benzoyl derivative (2) is described. The 1H and 13C NMR spectra of 1 and 2 have been completely assigned with the aid of two-dimensional 1H13C correlation NMR spectroscopy. Spectral data for ethyl α-benzoyl-β-(1,1-dimethylhydrazino)crotonate (5) were also obtained. The results show that 1 exists predominantly in the E- and Z-isomeric forms in a ratio of ca 2:1, and 2 occurs almost exclusively in the E-form. Data for 5 indicate that this compound exists in the Z- and E-forms in a ratio of ca 3:1.
State, Nation, National Identity, and Citizenship: France as a Test Case

Since the Revolution of 1789 membership in the French national community has been based, ideally, on a voluntary commitment to the republic and to political values associated with it. The Jacobin ideal of the "nation state," according to which the nation is a product of the (democratic) state, has not always been adhered to in practice. This paper analyzes the challenges to the Jacobin model posed by the survival of "organic" thinking, the periodic digressions from democratic patterns, the growth of supranation alism, the claims of infranational communities, changes in the elite structure, mass immigration, and other developments. The paper also examines divergent ideological (that is, right and left) approaches to national identity and to the question of accession to French citizenship.
The microwave spectrum, structure, and dipole moment of amino acetonitrile

Abstract The microwave spectra of three isotopic species of amino acetonitrile (NH 2 CH 2 CN, NHDCH 2 CN, and ND 2 CH 2 CN) have been investigated to learn something about the structure and bonding in this and similar compounds. The only rotamer observed is the form in which both NH bonds are gauche to the CN group and the structure is quite rigid. From the available data only the bond angles are well determined. The amino NCC angle is 114.5(3)°, the HCH angle is 103(2)°, the HNC angle is 109.6(4)°, and the HNH angle is 107(1)°. The dipole moment components are μ a = 2.577(7) D and μ b = 0.5754(10) D; these agree quite well in magnitude and direction with the sum of the acetonitrile and methyl amine dipoles. The rigidity of the molecule and its preference for the form in which the amino protons are closest to the triple bond confirms a suggestion based on earlier studies on similar molecules that there is a strong hydrogen bonding interaction between the amino group and the nitrile group, although in this molecule dipole-dipole forces also probably play a significant role in determining the structure and its rigidity.
Results of elective and emergency endovascular repairs of popliteal artery aneurysms.

Objective Endovascular repair has emerged as a treatment option for popliteal artery aneurysms. Our goal was to analyze outcomes of elective and emergency endovascular popliteal artery aneurysm repair (EVPAR). Methods This was a retrospective review of clinical data of patients treated with EVPAR at our institution between 2004 and 2010. Stent-related complications, patency, outcome limb salvage, and survival were evaluated and analyzed. Results EVPAR was performed in 31 limbs of 25 patients (mean age, 81 years; range, 65-89 years). Repair was elective in 19 limbs (61%) and emergent in 12 (39%). One aneurysm ruptured and 11 presented with acute thrombosis. All 11 underwent thrombolysis before EVPAR. Patients were implanted with a mean of 2.1 Viabahn stent grafts (range, 1-4). Ten procedures (32%) were performed percutaneously and 21 by femoral cutdown. Technical success was 97%. Overall 30-day mortality was 6.4%, with 0% in the elective group, and 16.7% in the emergent group ( P = .14). Early complications included graft thrombosis in two limbs (6.4%) and hematoma in four (13%), all after percutaneous repair. Myocardial infarction and thrombolysis-associated intracranial hemorrhage occurred in one patient each (3.2%). The 30-day primary and secondary patencies were 93.6% and 96.7%, respectively, and were 100% in the elective group and 83.3% and 91.6%, respectively, for the emergent group. Mean follow-up was 21.3 months (range, 1-75 months). Primary patency at 1 year was 86% (95% for elective, 69% for emergent; P = .56), secondary patency at the same time was 91% (elective, 100%; emergent, 91%). One-year limb salvage was 97%. Two-year survival was 91% for the elective group and 73% for the emergent group ( P = .15). Five stent occlusions were encountered after 30 days, four in the elective group. Four underwent successful reintervention, two had bypass, and two had thrombolysis, followed by angioplasty. The fifth patient was asymptomatic and nonambulatory and remains under observation. Stent graft infolding occurred in one limb (3.2%), with no clinical sequelae. No stent migration or separation was observed. One stent fracture was noted in an asymptomatic patient. Three (10%) type II endoleaks were detected but none had aneurysm expansion. One (3.2%) type I endoleak was treated percutaneously with placement of an additional stent graft. Overall, major adverse events, including death, graft occlusion with or without reoperation, or reoperation for endoleak or stent infolding occurred after 11 procedures (35.5%). On univariate analysis, no factors predicted stent failure, including runoff, antiplatelet therapy, emergency repair, number of stents implanted, heparin bonding of the stent, or degree of stent oversizing. Conclusions These results support elective EVPAR in anatomically suitable patients with increased risk for open repair; however, major adverse events after EVPAR, mainly after emergency repairs, are frequent. A prospective randomized multicenter study to justify EVPAR in the emergent setting is warranted.
Discrete conformal methods for cortical brain flattening.

Abstract Locations and patterns of functional brain activity in humans are difficult to compare across subjects because of differences in cortical folding and functional foci are often buried within cortical sulci. Unfolding a cortical surface via flat mapping has become a key method for facilitating the recognition of new structural and functional relationships. Mathematical and other issues involved in flat mapping are the subject of this paper. It is mathematically impossible to flatten curved surfaces without metric and area distortion. Nevertheless, “metric” flattening has flourished based on a variety of computational methods that minimize distortion. However, it is mathematically possible to flatten without any angular distortion — a fact known for 150 years. Computational methods for this “conformal” flattening have only recently emerged. Conformal maps are particularly versatile and are backed by a uniquely rich mathematical theory. This paper presents a tutorial level introduction to the mathematics of conformal mapping and provides both conceptual and practical arguments for its use. Discrete conformal mapping computed via circle packing is a method that has provided the first practical realization of the Riemann Mapping Theorem (RMT). Maps can be displayed in three geometries, manipulated with Mobius transformations to zoom and focus on particular regions of interest, they respect canonical coordinates useful for intersubject registration and are locally Euclidean. The versatility and practical advantages of the circle packing approach are shown by producing conformal flat maps using MRI data of a human cerebral cortex, cerebellum and a specific region of interest (ROI).