cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transmission of hepatitis B virus associated with assisted monitoring of blood glucose at an assisted living facility in New York State

Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission has been reported after patient-to-patient blood exposure during assisted monitoring of blood glucose (AMBG). Three assisted-living facility (ALF) residents who underwent AMBG developed acute HBV infection (HBVI) within 10 days. We investigated HBV transmission and implemented preventive measures. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Infection control practices were assessed. HBVI screening was conducted for all staff and epidemiologically linked residents. Viral DNA sequences were compared for a subset of isolates. Results Lancing devices and glucometers were shared among residents without proper sanitization. Serologic testing of all 34 residents with diabetes and 12 epidemiologically linked residents present during the exposure period detected 6 residents with diabetes with current HBVI and 4 residents with diabetes and 1 epidemiologically linked resident with previous HBVI. A cohort study of 32 individuals with diabetes identified AMBG as a significant risk factor for HBVI (relative risk, 6.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-26.3). Viral DNA sequences for 5 AMBG-exposed residents' isolates were identical, suggesting a common source. Conclusions AMBG was significantly associated with HBVI in ALF residents with diabetes. Despite clear preventive recommendations, bloodborne pathogen transmission continues to occur in the setting of AMBG. Strengthening direct care provider, infection preventionist, and health department partnerships with ALFs is crucial to ensure safe AMBG practices and prevent HBV transmission.
Molecular analysis of the bison phagocyte NADPH oxidase: cloning and sequencing of five NADPH oxidase cDNAs.

Abstract During the host defense process, neutrophils migrate into infected tissues where they become activated, resulting in the assembly of a superoxide anion-generating complex known as the NADPH oxidase. Despite the importance of this system in animal host defense, almost nothing is known about the NADPH oxidase in neutrophils from wild ruminant species. In the present studies, we provide a molecular analysis of the bison leukocyte NADPH oxidase. Using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and rapid amplification of cDNA ends, we cloned and sequenced the full-length cDNAs for five bison NADPH oxidase components: p22phox, p40phox, p47phox and p67phox, and gp91phox. When compared to other species, the deduced amino acid sequences of the bison homologs were most similar to those of bovine. Interestingly, a bison p40phox alternative splice product was isolated, which was similar to that observed for human p40phox in that the cDNAs contained sequence from intron 8. Consistent with the high degree of similarity between bison and bovine amino acid sequences, immunoblot analysis showed that the bison homologs migrated similarly to their bovine counterparts. Overall, these studies show that the bison and bovine NADPH oxidase genes are highly conserved between these two species, despite their divergence from a common ancestor over 1 million years ago.
Chemical Spray Conditions for Reducing Bacteria on Chicken Skins

Chemical spray parameters, including temperature, pressure and exposure time, were evaluated for their effects on reducing Salmonella typhimurium on chicken skins. Pre-chilled chicken carcass skins were inoculated with S. typhimurium and sprayed with 0.1% cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), 10% trisodium phosphate (TSP), or 2% lactic acid (LA). In the CPC spray, the 40°C treatments resulted in the greatest bacterial reduction. The most effective spray temperatures for LA and TSP treatments were 40 to 55°C. All chemical spray treatments at 207-1034 kPa reduced S. typhimurium. The reduction of S. typhimurium was greatest in all treatments when sprayed with 90 sec spray and 90 sec setting time.
Diagnostic confusion attributable to spurious elevation of both total thyroid hormone and thyroid hormone uptake measurements in the setting of autoantibodies: case report and review of related literature.

ABSTRACT Objective To review the effect of thyroid autoantibodies on thyroid function assays and to present a case in which thyroid autoantibodies resulted in spurious assay readings for both total thyroid hormone levels and thyroid hormone uptake measurements. Methods We present a detailed case, including serial laboratory data, and review the relevant literature. Results A 61-year-old man with a history of autoimmune disease presented for evaluation of abnormal results of thyroid function tests. The patient had been treated for hypothyroidism with levothyroxine and was noted to have an elevated total thyroxine (T4) level in the setting of a low total triiodothyronine (T3) value and a mildly elevated thyrotropin concentration. He had been referred for evaluation of a presumed deiodinase deficiency that impaired conversion of T4 to T3. During treatment with levothyroxine, these test results were confirmed, and the patient was also found to have an elevated T4 uptake. These findings were initially thought to be due to an excess of transthyretin; however, more extensive testing revealed that the patient had an autoantibody to T4 that interfered with the assays for both T4 and T4 uptake. Conclusion Autoantibodies to both T3 and T4 have been described. Such antibodies are not uncommon in patients with thyroid disease. On rare occasions, these antibodies may cause spurious assay readings and obscure the diagnosis. To our knowledge, this is the first report in which both the total T4 level and the T4 uptake were elevated because of the presence of autoantibodies. Thyroid hormone autoantibodies must be considered when clinicians encounter patients with unexplained abnormal results of thyroid function tests. (Endocr Pract. 2008; 14:738-742)
Perception Matches Selectivity in the Human Anterior Color Center

Summary Human ventral cortex contains at least two visual areas selective for color [1]: a posterior center in the lingual gyrus labeled V4 [2–4], V8 [5], or VO-1 [6] and an anterior center in the medial fusiform that has been labeled V4α [3, 4]. We examined the properties of the anterior color center using electrical recording and electrical stimulation in a subject with an electrode implanted over the anterior color center, as determined with BOLD fMRI in the same subject. Presentation of visual stimuli evoked local field potentials from the electrode. Consistent with fMRI, the potentials were larger for chromatic than achromatic stimuli. The potentials differed depending on stimulus color, with blue-purple colors evoking the largest response. The spatial receptive field of the electrode was central/parafoveal with a contralateral bias. In the absence of a visual stimulus, electrical stimulation of the electrode produced an artificial visual percept of a blue-purple color near the center of gaze. These results provide direct evidence of a tight link between selectivity and perception in ventral temporal cortex. Electrical stimulation of the anterior color center is sufficient to produce the conscious percept of a color whose identity is determined by the selectivity of the stimulated neurons.
Neural systems for vocal learning in birds and humans: a synopsis

I present here a synopsis on a hypothesis that I derived on the similarities and differences of vocal learning systems in vocal learning birds for learned song and in humans for spoken language. This hypothesis states that vocal learning birds—songbirds, parrots, and hummingbirds—and humans have comparable specialized forebrain regions that are not found in their close vocal non-learning relatives. In vocal learning birds, these forebrain regions appear to be divided into two sub-pathways, a vocal motor pathway mainly used to produce learned vocalizations and a pallial–basal–ganglia–thalamic loop mainly used to learn and modify the vocalizations. I propose that humans have analogous forebrain pathways within and adjacent to the motor and pre-motor cortices, respectively, used to produce and learn speech. Recent advances have supported the existence of the seven cerebral vocal nuclei in the vocal learning birds and the proposed brain regions in humans. The results in birds suggest that the reason why the forebrain regions are similar across distantly related vocal learners is that the vocal pathways may have evolved out of a pre-existing motor pathway that predates the ancient split from the common ancestor of birds and mammals. Although this hypothesis will require the development of novel technologies to be fully tested, the existing evidence suggest that there are strong genetic constraints on how vocal learning neural systems can evolve.
Foregrounding nationalism: Mary Russell Mitford’s Our Village and the effects of publication context

Among the few extant studies of Mary Russell Mitford’s Our Village: Sketches of Rural Character and Scenery, most critics agree on two points: for all of its attention to detail and the illusion of realism this generates, Our Village represents only a partial view of its subject matter, and it participated in what can be understood retrospectively as a project of cultural nationalism. These arguments call attention to some of the ideological implications of Mitford’s rural scenes. By focusing solely on the two‐volume anthologies or one‐volume selections published in the late‐nineteenth century, however, they relate to Our Village as a static literary text. Mitford criticism has thus often neglected consideration of the kinds of cultural work that the varying publication formats of Our Village, from discontinuous periodical sketches to biennial volumes, performed. My contention will be that the nationalistic dimensions of Our Village do not inhere solely in the sketches themselves but are, at least in part...
Targeting Pericytes for Angiogenic Therapies

In pathological scenarios, such as tumor growth and diabetic retinopathy, blocking angiogenesis would be beneficial. In others, such as myocardial infarction and hypertension, promoting angiogenesis might be desirable. Due to their putative influence on endothelial cells, vascular pericytes have become a topic of growing interest and are increasingly being evaluated as a potential target for angioregulatory therapies. The strategy of manipulating pericyte recruitment to capillaries could result in anti- or proangiogenic effects. Our current understanding of pericytes, however, is limited by knowledge gaps regarding pericyte identity and lineage. To use a music analogy, this review is a "mash-up" that attempts to integrate what we know about pericyte functionality and expression with what is beginning to be elucidated regarding their regenerative potential. We explore the lingering questions regarding pericyte phenotypic identity and lineage. The expression of different pericyte markers (e.g., SMA, Desmin, NG2, and PDGFR-β) varies for different subpopulations and tissues. Previous use of these markers to identify pericytes has suggested potential phenotypic overlaps and plasticity toward other cell phenotypes. Our review chronicles the state of the literature, identifies critical unanswered questions, and motivates future research aimed at understanding this intriguing cell type and harnessing its therapeutic potential.
Quantisation step selection schemes in JPEG2000

Modified quantisation step selection schemes for the uniform dead-zone scalar quantisation as used in Part I of the JPEG2000 standard are presented. Effects of these quantisation schemes on the lossy compression performance of 5/3 integer wavelet transforms are evaluated. The experiment is carried out in the JPEG2000 framework. Similar consideration may be applied to the real wavelet transforms for lossy image compression.
Formation of Chromene Analogs of Homophthalates: Investigation of Condensation Products Derived from 2-Hydroxybenzaldehydes and Diethyl 2-Pentenedicarboxylates

Abstract Condensation of substituted 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde derivatives (1a-1) with diethyl 2-pentenedicarboxylate (2) in the presence of piperidine gave coumarin and / or chromene derivatives. Attempted reaction of 4-N,N-diethylamino-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde (1a) and 2-hydroxy-3-nitrobenzaldehyde (1i) with diethyl 3-phenyl-2-pentenedicarboxylate (5) led to formation of no coumarin or chromene derivative.
Identification of a Novel Polymorphism in X-Linked Sterol-4-Alpha-Carboxylate 3-Dehydrogenase (Nsdhl) Associated with Reduced High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels in I/LnJ Mice

Loci controlling plasma lipid concentrations were identified by performing a quantitative trait locus analysis on genotypes from 233 mice from a F2 cross between KK/HlJ and I/LnJ, two strains known to differ in their high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. When fed a standard diet, HDL cholesterol concentration was affected by two significant loci, the Apoa2 locus on Chromosome (Chr) 1 and a novel locus on Chr X, along with one suggestive locus on Chr 6. Non-HDL concentration also was affected by loci on Chr 1 and X along with a suggestive locus on Chr 3. Additional loci that may be sex-specific were identified for HDL cholesterol on Chr 2, 3, and 4 and for non-HDL cholesterol on Chr 5, 7, and 14. Further investigation into the potential causative gene on Chr X for reduced HDL cholesterol levels revealed a novel, I/LnJ-specific nonsynonymous polymorphism in Nsdhl, which codes for sterol-4-alpha-carboxylate 3-dehydrogenase in the cholesterol synthesis pathway. Although many lipid quantitative trait locus have been reported previously, these data suggest there are additional genes left to be identified that control lipid levels and that can provide new pharmaceutical targets.
Near-Field Uniform Beams for Pulsed Doppler Ultrasound

A mathematical model for the beam pattern of a pulsed ultrasonic transducer is introduced. Beam-pattern analysis and simulation of a circular transducer based on this model agree well with the experimental results. It is demonstrated that, in its near field, the pulsed transducer is capable of generating a good approximation to a uniform ultrasonic field which cannot be achieved with a cw transducer. Preliminary error analysis indicates that the near-field beam pattern of the pulsed transducer is suitable for quantitative blood-flow measurement, and design criteria are developed for this application. A prototype has been fabricated and tested in in-vitro experiments, and the results verify the feasibility of the quantitative blood flowmeter principle and the pulsed-transducer near-field approach to the formation of uniform beams.
The Orbits of Meteorites from Natural Thermoluminescence

The natural thermoluminescence (TL) of meteorites reflects their irradiation and thermal histories. Virtually all ordinary chondrites have been irradiated long enough to reach saturation natural TL levels, and thus natural TL levels in these meteorites are determined largely by thermal history. The primary heat source for most meteorites is the Sun, and thus natural TL levels are determined primarily by the closest approach to the Sun, i.e., perihelion. By converting natural TL levels to perihelia, using an assumed albedo typical of meteoroid bodies, it is found that most ordinary chondrites had perihelia of 0.85 to 1.0 AU prior to reaching Earth. This range is similar to that calculated from meteor and fireball observations. All common classes of ordinary chondrites exhibit similar perihelia distributions; however, H and LL chondrites that fell in the local morning differ in their natural TL distribution from those that fell in the local afternoon or evening. This is consistent with earlier suggestions that time of fall reflects orbital distribution. The data also suggest that the orbits of some of the H chondrites cluster and may have come from a debris 'stream' of meteoroids. If meteorites can exist in "orbital groups," significant changes in the types and number of meteorites reaching Earth could occur on the less than 10(exp 5)-year time scale.
Identification of secreted glycoproteins of human prostate and bladder stromal cells by comparative quantitative proteomics

Background Functional development of the prostate is governed by stromal mesenchyme induction and epithelial response. Stromal/epithelial signaling can be mediated through direct cell-cell contact and diffusible factors and their cell surface receptors. These inducers are likely secreted or membrane-associated extracellular proteins. Given the importance of intercellular communication, it is possible that diseases like cancer could arise from a loss of this communication. One approach to gain a molecular understanding of stromal cells is to identify, as a first step, secreted stromal signaling factors. We proposed to do this by comparative analysis between bladder and prostate.
Rhabdomyosarcoma of tunica vaginalis masquerading as hydrocele

Paratesticular rhabdomyosarcomas are rare tumors with aggressive growth patterns. Multimodal therapy with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy provides the patient with an excellent long-term prognosis. These tumors often present in the first two decades after birth. We report on the case of an 18-year-old man with a paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma.
Hidden Barriers to Success for Women in Welfare Reform

Strengths-based case management is an alternative service modality for work with individuals and families. This method stresses building on the strengths of individuals that can be used to resolve current problems and issues, countering more traditional approaches that focus almost exclusively on individuals’ deficits or needs. This article expands the literature on the application of the strengths-based model by using a project that provides health and social services to grandparents raising their grandchildren. Based on anecdotal results, the strengths-based model appears to have value in fostering a sense of independence and self-assurance among grandparents, as well as enhancing their level of confidence to nurture and support their grandchildren. Suggested limitations and implications for family practice and future research are noted.
Evidence that 5α-pregnan-3α-ol-20-one is the metabolite responsible for progesterone anesthesia

Tadpoles (Rana catesbeiana) were anesthetized with [3H]-progesterone (PG) in order to identify the steroid responsible for anesthesia. PG and its metabolites in brain were resolved (HPLC) and quantitated following sacrifice at different behavioral endpoints. The results support the hypothesis that 5 alpha-pregnan-3 alpha-ol-20-one mediates the loss and the return of the righting response. The observed levels for PG were not consistent with such a role. Neither PG nor 5 alpha-pregnan-3 alpha-ol-20-one produced analgesia.
Influence of heteroatom donors on the orders of relative gas-phase binding affinities of macrocyclic polyethers

The effects of the heteroatom donor on the complexation of various metal ions by macrocyclic polyethers were qualitatively examined by application of the ligand exchange technique in a quadruple ion trap mass spectrometer. The metal ions, including K+, Cs+, Al+, Mg+, Cu+ and Ni+, were generated by laser desorption and allowed to react with 12-crown-4 and its nitrogen and sulfur analogs, cyclen and 1,4,7,10-tetrathiacyclododecane. The orders of gas-phase basicities were established as a comparison. The relative K+ and Cs+ binding affinities of 12-crown-4 are greatest, whereas cyclen has the highest binding affinity for all the other metal ions and also the highest gas-phase basicity.
Antieigenvalues and total antieigenvalues of normal operators

We will study antieigenvalues, total antieigenvalues, antieigenvectors, and total antieigenvectors for normal operators. This will generalize the earlier work of the author and Karl Gustafson on normal matrices on finite dimensional spaces. We will also study antieigenvalues and total antieigenvalues of semigroups generated by accretive normal operators.
Schubert receives 2002 Harry H. Hess medal

Gerald Schubert was awarded the Hess Medal at the AGU Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, which was held on 8 December 2002, in San Francisco, California. The medal is given for outstanding achievements in research in the constitution and evolution of Earth and sister planets.
Adjuvant pelvic hyperthermia in advanced cervical carcinoma. I. Feasibility, thermometry and device comparison.

From 1981 to 1989, a total of 26 women with locally or regionally advanced carcinoma of the uterine cervix were treated with radiotherapy (RT) and pelvic regional hyperthermia (HT), in the Divisions of Radiation Oncology at the University of Utah Medical Center (UU) and the Kenneth Morris Jr Cancer Hospital of the University of Southern California (USC). HT was produced by the BSD-1000 HT system and the annular phased array (AA) applicator usually driven at 60–65 MHz, or the BSD-2000 HT system and the Sigma-60 (S60) applicator usually driven at 70–85 MHz. During the HT sessions acute toxicity was common, particularly because of pain within or outside the applicator, which was power-limiting in 43% of the patients overall. Pain was more easily manipulated, but more commonly power-limiting with the S60. Systemic stress was power-limiting in 22% of patients treated with the AA, but in no patients with the S60. Detailed thermal mapping and temperature analysis were performed on 26 patients. The mean overall a...
Can Wii Engage College-Level Learners? Use of Commercial Off-the-Shelf Gaming in an Introductory Statistics Course

Technological advancements and growing dependence on media outlets as sources of information compete for the attention of individuals born in a rapidly expanding digital age. As a result, educators using traditional, nondigital teaching methods struggle with keeping students engaged in the classroom. The present study assessed the extent to which a digitally enhanced learning environment can improve student involvement in learning. A traditional behavioral statistics lecture was supplemented with Nintendo Wii video gaming to increase student content knowledge comprehension and engagement with course material. A mixed Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed that those in the video gaming condition improved significantly more than those receiving traditional lecture only. This research suggests that students can learn difficult conceptual material (i.e., statistics) through more novel, interactive teaching methods.
Hierarchical probabilistic regression for AUV-based adaptive sampling of marine phenomena

Marine phenomena such as algal blooms can be detected using in situ measurements onboard autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), but understanding plankton ecology and community structure requires retrieval and analysis of water specimens. This process requires shipboard or manual sample collection, followed by onshore lab analysis which is time-consuming. Better understanding of the relationship between the observable environmental features and organism abundance would allow more precisely targeted sampling and thereby save time. In this work, we present an approach to learn and improve models that predict this relationship. Coupled with recent advances in AUV technology allowing selective retrieval of water samples, this constitutes a new paradigm in biological sampling. We use organism abundance models along with spatial models of environmental features learned immediately after AUV deployments to compute spatial distributions of organisms in the coastal ocean purely from in situ AUV data. We use Gaussian process regression along with the unscented transform to fuse the two models, obtaining both the mean and variance of the organism abundance estimates. The uncertainty in organism abundance predictions is used in a sampling strategy to selectively acquire new water specimens that improves the organism abundance models. Simulation results are presented demonstrating the advantage of performing hierarchical probabilistic regression. After the validation through simulation, we show predictions of organism abundance from models learned on lab-analyzed water sample data, and AUV survey data.
Tonic effects of light on the circadian system of the squirrel monkey

The tonic effects of constant light were examined on the organization of the circadian time-keeping system of squirrel monkeys. The rhythms of feeding, colonic temperature and urinary potassium excretion were measured in chair-restrained animals maintained in 1 lux, 60 lux or 600 lux in isolation chambers at constant temperature with food availablead lib. When compared to previous results from monkeys synchronized by light-dark cycles, there was a reduction in the ranges (R) of all 3 rhythms in constant light. As the intensity of light increased, the computedα/ρ ratio increased for the feeding and temperature rhythms but not for the renal potassium rhythm. The average free-running period (τ) for all three rhythms was approximately 25 h, and long term experiments with unrestrained monkeys showed a small lengthening ofτ with brighter light. There was a much broader distribution ofτ for the urinary potassium rhythm than for the feeding and temperature rhythms. Spontaneous internal desynchronization between the potassium rhythm and the feeding and temperature rhythms occurred in approximately one-quarter of the experiments, with the light intensity having no influence on the incidence of desynchronization.
Temporal Estimates as a Function of Difficulty of Mental Arithmetic

This study was designed to assess the effects of specific types of mental arithmetic on subjects' estimates of how long they worked on the problems. It was hypothesized that the more demanding problems would produce the greatest underestimates of duration of work. The factorial design included types of task (1 digit × 1 digit and 2 digit × 1 digit), levels of difficulty (easy and hard, defined in terms of size of multiplier), and work periods of 8, 12, 16, and 20 sec. An empty reproduction paradigm was employed; results indicated only partial support for the hypothesis in that the 2 digit × 1 digit easy problems produced maximal underestimates of work periods. Results are interpreted in terms of response strategies and attentional hypotheses.
Determination of interphase properties of fiber composites from phase velocities of ultrasound

Abstract Average values of the in situ mechanical properties of the interphases in an unidirectional fiber-reinforced composite were deduced from measured values of the phase velocities of ultrasonic signals. The composite was modeled by a hexagonal array of fibers in a matrix, and the interphases are represented by a spring-layer model. For deformation in planes normal to the fiber direction there are two unknown interphase parameters. For known values of the mechanical and geometrical properties of the fibers, the matrix, and the interphases, the effective elastic constants were obtained by finite element calculations in a representative cell. When the interphase parameters were unknown, the finite element procedure was measured in an iterative mode to obtain the interphase parameters by systematic comparison between calculated and measured values of the effective elastic constants of the composite.
Genomic response of hypoxic Müller cells involves the very low density lipoprotein receptor as part of an angiogenic network.

Abstract Muller cells have recently been found to produce select angiogenic substances. In choosing a more comprehensive approach, we wanted to study the genomic response of Muller cells to hypoxia to identify novel angiogenic genes. An established Muller cell line (rMC-1) was exposed to standard or hypoxic conditions. We analyzed gene expression with three independent microarrays and determined differential expression levels compared to normoxia. Selected genes were confirmed by real-time PCR (RTPCR). Subcellular localization of proteins was examined by immunocytochemistry. A network-based pathway analysis was performed to investigate how those genes may contribute to angiogenesis. We found 19 004 of 28 000 known rat genes expressed in Muller cells. 211 genes were upregulated by hypoxia 1.5 to 14.9-fold (p
Review: Torsional braid analysis of polymers

Abstract A review of the present status of torsional braid analysis (TBA) includes discussion of instrumentation, specimen preparation, theory, and data reduction. The obtained thermomechanical spectra (∼1 cps) are discussed in terms of advantages which result from the use of small specimens. Applications include structure-property relationships, kinetics of crosslinking, and optimization of thermomechanical behavior in reactive systems.
Emotional responding in depression: Distinctions in the time course of emotion

The current studies were designed to investigate if the emotion context insensitivity hypothesis (ECI; Rottenberg & Gotlib, 2004) is applicable across the time course of emotion. Recent affective science research has pointed to the importance of considering anticipation and maintenance of emotion. In the current studies, we assessed emotion responses among college students with depression symptoms in anticipation of, during, and after an emotional picture using the emotion modulated startle paradigm. People with and without depression symptoms did not differ in blink magnitude in anticipation of emotional pictures suggesting that some anticipatory processes may not be impaired by depression symptoms. In contrast, individuals with depression symptoms did not exhibit blink magnitudes that varied by valence, either during viewing or after the pictures were removed from view. These findings suggest that ECI is relevant not only for those diagnosed with major depressive disorder, but also for people with depression symptoms that may not cross the diagnostic threshold. These data also point to the importance of considering the time course of emotion to better understand emotional deficits in individuals with differing levels of depression symptoms. Identifying where emotion goes awry across the time course of emotion can help inform treatment development.
Probabilistic quantum logic operations using polarizing beam splitters

It has previously been shown that probabilistic quantum logic operations may be performed using linear optical elements, additional photons (ancilla), and post-selection based on the output of single-photon detectors. Here we describe the operation of several quantum logic operations of an elementary nature, including a quantum parity check and a quantum encoder, and we show how they may be combined to implement a controlled-NOT (CNOT) gate. All of these gates may be constructed using polarizing beam splitters that completely transmit one state of polarization and totally reflect the orthogonal state of polarization, which allows a simple explanation of each operation. We also describe a polarizing beam splitter implementation of a CNOT gate that is closely analogous to the quantum teleportation technique previously suggested by Gottesman and Chuang [Nature 402, 390 (1999)]. Finally, our approach has the interesting feature that it makes practical use of a quantum-eraser technique.
Enzymatic biofuel cells utilizing a biomimetic cofactor.

The performance of immobilized enzyme systems is often limited by cofactor diffusion and regeneration. Here, we demonstrate an engineered enzyme capable of utilizing the minimal cofactor nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN+) to address these limitations. Significant gains in performance are observed with NMN+ in immobilized systems, despite a decreased turnover rate with the minimal cofactor.
Evaluation of Curvularia intermedia (Cochliobolus intermedius) as a potential microbial herbicide for large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis)

Abstract Curvularia intermedia, anamorph of the fungus Cochliobolus intermedius, was isolated from diseased crabgrass (Digitaria sp.) plants and evaluated in greenhouse studies for its potential as a microbial herbicide for control of large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis). The objectives were to evaluate the host range of the fungus and to determine mortality and dry-weight reductions of large crabgrass as influenced by concentrations of inoculum and Silwet L-77 (an organosilicone surfactant), post-inoculation dew temperature, and post-inoculation dew duration. In addition, control of large crabgrass growing in mixed stands with soybeans was evaluated. Ninety to 100% control of large crabgrass, as indicated by mortality and dry-weight reduction, was obtained when inoculum concentrations were ⩾1×106 conidia/ml, Silwet L-77 concentrations were ⩾0.1% (v/v), and dew periods were ⩾10 h (20–35 °C). Forty plant species in 10 families were screened against C. intermedia in host-range studies. Species that exhibited mortality and/or significant dry-weight reductions due to fungal inoculations included: redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus), beet (Beta vulgaris), chenopodium (Chenopodium amaranticolor), wild oat (Avena fatua), broadleaf signalgrass (Brachiaria platyphylla), bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon), large crabgrass, barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli), red rice (Oryza sp.), green foxtail (Setaria viridis), shattercane (Sorghum bicolor), johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense), one cultivar of grain sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), and two cultivars of corn (Zea mays). No mortality or significant dry-weight reductions were noted for peanut (Arachis hypogaea), soybean (Glycine max), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides), St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secondatum), zoysiagrass (Zoysia sp.), or 23 other species. When C. intermedia was applied to mixed plantings of soybeans and large crabgrass, 80–96% reductions in dry weight occurred for large crabgrass seedlings. No significant dry-weight reductions were observed for the soybean plants when compared to the control plants. These results indicate that C. intermedia could be a potential microbial herbicide for control of large crabgrass in crops such as soybean, cotton, and peanut. Additional studies are needed to assess the potential for use of C. intermedia for control of Digitaria spp. in turf grasses such as centipedegrass, zoysiagrass, and St. Augustinegrass that exhibited resistance to the fungus.
Targeting Audiences and Content for Forest Fire Information Programs

Abstract Data from three independently conducted surveys indicate a high level of support for management practices initiated and controlled by the manager. Additional analysis performed on one of the data sets further reveals the extent to which sociodemographic characteristics and beliefs about the effects of fire in forest environments predict public approval. Based on the analyses, recommendations are made concerning the appropriate audiences and content to target in the design of fire information programs.
Decision-making strategies in design meetings

This project aims to further our understanding of the practice of user-centered design (UCD) by observing the argumentation strategies used by designers in face-to-face meetings in the critical periods between usability research and prototype iteration. In order to conduct such an investigation, I recorded ten meetings of graduate student designers charged with redesigning documents for the United States Postal Service. I then used discourse analysis techniques to determine how the designers used findings from research phases as evidence to support proposed design decisions in meetings concerning prototype alterations. Results show that these designers overwhelmingly do not support their design decisions with specific evidence from usability studies. This neglect of research-based evidence may indicate that these novice UCD designers may resort to designer-centric design behaviors in decision-making periods. My analysis will focus on the rhetorical reasons why designers may avoid research-based evidence.
ROLE OF TITANIUM CAPPING LAYER IN AMORPHOUS SILICON NANOWIRE GROWTH BY SOLID-STATE REACTION

Role of titanium capping layer in synthesis of amorphous silicon nanowires by solid-state reaction was studied by Raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Silicon nanowires were not grown from 20nm thick nickel film on silicon (100) but grown from 20nm thick nickel film on silicon (100) with 100 nm thick titanium capping layer. The study shows that titanium capping layer plays an important role in formation of Ni–Ti–Si ternary alloy, which acts as a nucleation seed and a promoter for silicon nanowire growth.
Analysis of lesion detectability in Bayesian emission reconstruction with nonstationary object variability

Bayesian methods based on the maximum a posteriori principle (also called penalized maximum-likelihood methods) have been developed to improve image quality in emission tomography. To explore the full potential of Bayesian reconstruction for lesion detection, we derive simplified theoretical expressions that allow fast evaluation of the detectability of a lesion in Bayesian reconstruction. This work is built on the recent progress on the theoretical analysis of image properties of statistical reconstructions and the development of numerical observers. We explicitly model the nonstationary variation of the lesion and background without assuming that they are locally stationary. The results can be used to choose the optimum prior parameters for the maximum lesion detectability. The theoretical results are validated using Monte Carlo simulations. The comparisons show good agreement between the theoretical predictions and the Monte Carlo results. We also demonstrate that the lesion detectability can be reliably estimated using one noisy data set.
Have Gun Control Laws Changed Since Newtown

Using data issued by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the authors examine the strength of statewide firearm laws across the United States one year before and after the 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Regressions fitted to the cross-section of all states in 2011 and 2013 show how Brady Scores differ across census divisions after allowing for statewide differences in firearm death rates and political party control of the state legislature. In the aftermath of Newtown, gun laws have either not changed or in census divisions where they have significantly changed, they have become less restrictive.
Elementary Estimators for Graphical Models

We propose a class of closed-form estimators for sparsity-structured graphical models, expressed as exponential family distributions, under high-dimensional settings. Our approach builds on observing the precise manner in which the classical graphical model MLE "breaks down" under high-dimensional settings. Our estimator uses a carefully constructed, well-defined and closed-form backward map, and then performs thresholding operations to ensure the desired sparsity structure. We provide a rigorous statistical analysis that shows that surprisingly our simple class of estimators recovers the same asymptotic convergence rates as those of the l1-regularized MLEs that are much more difficult to compute. We corroborate this statistical performance, as well as significant computational advantages via simulations of both discrete and Gaussian graphical models.
REGULATORY MECHANISMS OF CELLULAR RESPIRATION II. THE RÔLE OF SOLUBLE SULFHYDRYL GROUPS AS SHOWN BY THE EFFECT OF SULFHYDRYL REAGENTS ON THE RESPIRATION OF SEA URCHIN SPERM

Oxidizing agents of sulfhydryl groups such as iodosobenzoate, alkylating agents such as iodoacetamide, and mercaptide-forming agents such as cadmium chloride, mercuric chloride, p-chloromercuribenzoate, sodium arsenite, and p-carboxyphenylarsine oxide, added in small concentrations to a suspension of sea urchin sperm produced an increase in respiration. When the concentration was increased there was an inhibition. These effects are explained by postulating the presence in the cells of two kinds of sulfhydryl groups: soluble sulfhydryl groups, which regulate cellular respiration, and fixed sulfhydryl groups, present in the protein moiety of enzymes. Small concentrations of sulfhydryl reagents combine only with the first, thus producing an increase in respiration; when the concentration is increased, the fixed sulfhydryl groups are also attacked and inhibition of respiration is the consequence. Other inhibitors of cell respiration, such as cyanide and urethanes, which do not combine with -SH groups, did not stimulate respiration in small concentration.
Psychology of Men at Work

70's, our review of the research literature for the last two years suggests that the field still suffe rs from the lingering aspects of a long-standing malaise: a plethora of data and a paucity of generalizable research insights and theory . While the symptoms definitely appear les s acute than a decade ago, and there are some encouraging signs of outright therapy, the problems are quite pervasive. De­ spite the fact that our journ als are burgeo ning, our gra duate schools crowded, and our users and sponsors increasingly receptive to our wares, too much of today' s research continues to address problems of limited rele­ vance to either the key iss ues of our tim es or the advancement of knowl­ edge, to be ad hoc rather than integrative, and to use questionable or at least untested metrics.
Imaging boundary layer roll signatures for climate applications

The planetary boundary layer (PBL) mean flow frequently consists of an organized secondary circulation in the form of counter rotating rolls embedded in the mean flow. Theory predicts this is the case in unstable, neutral and slightly stable stratification and for a range of baroclinic conditions. Although generally associated with the formation of "cloud streets", numerical and theoretical studies suggest that rolls should be present whenever there is sufficient shear to organize the convection, including cloud free conditions. Anecdotal observations from case studies support these numerical and theoretical expectations. However, there exist no studies that can establish the extent and statistical frequency of roll occurrence. The sampling frequency and coverage of satellite data make them an invaluable, and often the only, source of observations on global and regional scales. Among the different types of satellite borne remote sensors the SAR is singular in its ability to detect and quantify the PBL roll signature on the ocean surface. The authors discuss and test the ability of the RADARSAT synthetic aperture radar (SAR) observations to establish boundary layer roll climatology and frequency statistics.
MISSION APPLICABILITY ASSESSMENT OF INTEGRATED POWER COMPONENTS AND SYSTEMS

The need for smaller lightweight autonomous power systems has recently increased with the increasing focus on micro- and nanosatellites. Small area high-efficiency thin film batteries and solar cells are an attractive choice for such applications. The NASA Glenn Research Center, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Lithium Power Technologies, MicroSat Systems, and others, have been working on the development of autonomous monolithic packages combining these elements or what are called integrated power supplies (IPS). These supplies can be combined with individual satellite components and are capable of providing continuous power even under intermittent illumination associated with a spinning or Earth orbiting satellite. This paper discusses the space mission applicability, benefits, and current development efforts associated with integrated power supply components and systems. The characteristics and several mission concepts for an IPS that combines thin-film photovoltaic power generation with thin-film lithium ion energy storage are described. Based on this preliminary assessment, it is concluded that the most likely and beneficial application of an IPS will be for small "nanosatellites" or in specialized applications serving as a decentralized or as a distributed power source or uninterruptible power supply.
Hypervitaminosis A syndrome: a paradigm of retinoid side effects

Retinoids have and will continue to revolutionize dermatologic therapy in a manner analogous to the development of topical corticosteroids. Isotretinoin, for example, has made nodulocystic scarring acne an eminently treatable condition. The dermatologic armamentarium now includes a powerful new agent, etretinate, which will radically change the approach to psoriasis (and other keratinizing disorders). Although each new retinoid is developed with the aim of maximizing specific therapeutic effects and minimizing toxicity, the fact remains that the major side effects of retinoid treatment are those of hypervitaminosis A syndrome. Optimal clinical utilization of new retinoids is best accomplished by an assessment of what is currently known about retinol absorption, metabolism and organ-specific effects, as well as by a thorough understanding of hypervitaminosis A syndrome. In this paper, hypervitaminosis A syndrome is reviewed as a paradigm of retinoid side effects. (J Am Acad Dermatol 1987;16:1027-39.)
Pay Discrimination, Exit Discrimination or Both? Another Look at an Old Issue Using NBA Data

Economic literature has identified two potential types of racial discrimination in sports careers: exit discrimination and wage discrimination. The authors test for both types of discrimination in National Basketball Association (NBA) data in two ways. First using a modified Heckman procedure, they control for potential survival bias that may arise from exit discrimination in panel data and could possibly bias the coefficients of wage equations. Not controlling for survival bias could lead to false conclusions concerning the presence of pay discrimination. Using 1990-2008 NBA data, the authors fail to find any evidence of either pay or exit discrimination in the NBA utilizing this new technique. In one specification, however, a negative coefficient on the white dummy is found after controlling for height and being foreign-born suggesting that reverse discrimination is present. Yet, using a subset of the panel data used to examine pay discrimination in the NBA with career earnings the authors find that there is a pay premium paid to White players over their career in the magnitude of 16%–20%, ceteris paribus. Neither of these results, however, is robust and highlights the pitfalls of using the residual method in measuring both pay and exit discrimination.
Retinal waves are governed by collective network properties.

Propagating neural activity in the developing mammalian retina is required for the normal patterning of retinothalamic connections. This activity exhibits a complex spatiotemporal pattern of initiation, propagation, and termination. Here, we discuss the behavior of a model of the developing retina using a combination of simulation and analytic calculation. Our model produces spatially and temporally restricted waves without requiring inhibition, consistent with the early depolarizing action of neurotransmitters in the retina. We find that highly correlated, temporally regular, and spatially restricted activity occurs over a range of network parameters; this ensures that such spatiotemporal patterns can be produced robustly by immature neural networks in which synaptic transmission by individual neurons may be unreliable. Wider variation of these parameters, however, results in several different regimes of wave behavior. We also present evidence that wave properties are locally determined by a single variable, the fraction of recruitable (i.e., nonrefractory) cells within the dendritic field of a retinal neuron. From this perspective, a given local area’s ability to support waves with a wide range of propagation velocities—as observed in experiment—reflects the variability in the local state of excitability of that area. This prediction is supported by whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings, which measure significant wave-to-wave variability in the amount of synaptic input a cell receives when it participates in a wave. This approach to describing the developing retina provides unique insight into how the organization of a neural circuit can lead to the generation of complex correlated activity patterns.