cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spurious 99% bootstrap and jackknife support for unsupported clades.

Abstract Quantifying branch support using the bootstrap and/or jackknife is generally considered to be an essential component of rigorous parsimony and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses. Previous authors have described how application of the frequency-within-replicates approach to treating multiple equally optimal trees found in a given bootstrap pseudoreplicate can provide apparent support for otherwise unsupported clades. We demonstrate how a similar problem may occur when a non-representative subset of equally optimal trees are held per pseudoreplicate, which we term the undersampling-within-replicates artifact. We illustrate the frequency-within-replicates and undersampling-within-replicates bootstrap and jackknife artifacts using both contrived and empirical examples, demonstrate that the artifacts can occur in both parsimony and likelihood analyses, and show that the artifacts occur in outputs from multiple different phylogenetic-inference programs. Based on our results, we make the following five recommendations, which are particularly relevant to supermatrix analyses, but apply to all phylogenetic analyses. First, when two or more optimal trees are found in a given pseudoreplicate they should be summarized using the strict-consensus rather than frequency-within-replicates approach. Second jackknife resampling should be used rather than bootstrap resampling. Third, multiple tree searches while holding multiple trees per search should be conducted in each pseudoreplicate rather than conducting only a single search and holding only a single tree. Fourth, branches with a minimum possible optimized length of zero should be collapsed within each tree search rather than collapsing branches only if their maximum possible optimized length is zero. Fifth, resampling values should be mapped onto the strict consensus of all optimal trees found rather than simply presenting the ⩾50% bootstrap or jackknife tree or mapping the resampling values onto a single optimal tree.
Decapitated females as a tool in the analysis of Drosophila behaviour

Abstract Decapitated females provide a method of arranging variable stimulus environments to evaluate components of behaviour involved in sexual and frequency dependent selection. Conspecific matings are bypassed via male preference for normal females per se. Presence of conspecific decapitatated females induces male to increase insemination of alien females. Discrimination mechanisms, including sign stimuli, are the least labile, and excitability is the most labile component of courtship. D. subpalustris males with abnormal stimulation use a qualitatively different courtship element not present in their normal repertoire. An efficiency index (courtship/insemination) shows D. palustris males, with more heterogenous stimulation in their courtship, more effective in overcoming female reluctance. Sexual isolation may differ operationally from sexual selection in the necessity for particular stimuli rather than more stimulation.
The US patent system is broken

Abstract In discussions in this issue of RBM Online relating to a patent granted to Auxogyn, Professor Renee Reijo Pera claims this is not about a “broken patent system”. I shall demonstrate how dysfunctional the patent system has become and how much in denial ‘inventor’ Renee Reijo Pera is about her invention differing from a naturally occurring phenomenon.
Identification and characterization of a previously undetected region between the perichondrium and periosteum of the developing avian limb

In developing long bones, the growing cartilage and bone are surrounded by the fibrous perichondrium (PC) and periosteum (PO), respectively, which provide cells for the appositional growth (i.e., growth in diameter) of these tissues. Also during the longitudinal growth of a bone, the cartilage is continuously replaced by bony tissue, giving rise to the widely held assumption that the PC concomitantly gives rise to the PO. Except for this morphological correlate, however, no evidence exists for a direct conversion of PC cells to PO cells, and our observations presented here question this assumption. Instead, we have obtained evidence suggesting that a previously undescribed region exists between the PC and PO. This region, termed the border region (BR), has several unique characteristics which distinguish it from either the PC or PO, including (1) its lack of being determined to differentiate as either cartilage or bone, (2) its ability to preferentially elicit the invasion of blood vessels, and (3) its ability to undergo preferential growth.
Nuclear magnetic resonance investigations of the structural phase transitions of AlPO4 tridymite

27Al and 31P NMR spectroscopic data are presented for the tridymite polymorph of AlPO4 (AlPO4 −1) through its structural phase transition at about 80 °C. The RT 27Al and 31P spectra of AlPO4−t both contain doublets of broad peaks, indicating two well-separated groups of sites in the RT structure with mean Al-O-P bond angles per tetrahedron of ∼ 147.8°and 153.1°(±1). With increasing temperature, the doublets remain the same up to about 74 °C, where the relative intensities of the two peaks start to change. The peak corresponding to smaller Al-O-P bond angles disappears, and above ∼88 °C the 27Al and 31P spectra contain single symmetrical peaks, corresponding to a mean Al-O-P bond angle of 153.4°. This bond angle increases gradually with increasing temperature to 153.7°at ∼150 °C and remains constant to about 500 °C. 27Al quadrupole echo experiments suggests that the 27Al nuclear quadrupole coupling constant (QCC) is small and decreases with increasing temperature. QCC remains nonzero in the high temperature phase of AlPO4−t, consistent with the previously proposed 3m local symmetry of Al in the high-temperature structure.
Modeling Brand Equity of a U.S. Apparel Brand as Perceived by Generation Y Consumers in the Emerging Korean Market

This study examined causal relationships among brand awareness, brand perceptions, and purchase intention by focusing on Korean Generation Y (Gen Y) consumers. A total of 235 usable questionnaires ...
Laboratory Investigation of Bedform Geometry under Regular and Irregular Surface Gravity Waves

Abstract Bedform (ripple) geometry is an important feature in the nearshore that can significantly enhance wave energy dissipation. Ripples regulate wave transformation and influence the sediment transport phenomenon. These issues are of particular importance when determining beach erosion and investigating other coastal processes. Although numerous studies have addressed the issue of bedform geometry under surface gravity waves, no single model is considered adequate. The relative roughness and subsequent wave energy dissipation are governed by attributes that include ripple height and wavelength. The comparatively large wave tank facility at Davidson Laboratory (Stevens Institute of Technology, Castle Point on the Hudson, Hoboken, New Jersey) provided an ideal opportunity for investigating bedform features for a flat bed, as well as the novel study of a sloped sediment bed. Our results provide new data that strengthen prior relationships and demonstrate that a sloped surface may be modeled in a similar ...
Shared Decision Making and Core School Values: A Case Study of Organizational Learning.

This case study suggests that second‐order changes in structures and relationships do not necessarily result in second‐order changes in teaching and learning. Processes and norms that serve to govern discourse and behavior in relation to other kinds of school issues cannot be assumed to come into play when complex issues concerning curriculum and teaching are encountered. The potential of organizational learning for contributing to the improvement of teaching and learning in schools remains promising but elusive. The groundbreaking work of Argyris needs to be extended through concerted research in school settings.
Conformational polymorphism of 1,8-dipyridylnaphthalene and encapsulation of chains of fused cyclic water pentamers in a hydrophobic crystal environment

Crystallization of conformationally flexible 1,8-dipyridylnaphthalene under various conditions resulted in conformational polymorphism and encapsulation of T5(2)-clusters consisting of fused cyclic water pentamers that form isolated water channels surrounded by a highly hydrophobic environment.
The role of lateral-entry Steinmann pins in the treatment of pediatric supracondylar humerus fractures

Abstract Purpose Loss of pin fixation in supracondylar fractures can occur with failure to achieve bicortical fixation. Bicortical fixation may be challenging for those pins that attempt to penetrate the diaphyseal cortex, where the bone is thick. Lateral-entry Steinmann pins may allow for better penetration through cortical bone because they are more rigid than typical Kirschner wires. Methods A retrospective review of 16 children with type III supracondylar fractures treated by a single surgeon using Steinmann pins was undertaken. The average age at presentation was 6 years. Following closed reduction, all fractures were maintained with three lateral-entry pins. At least one Steinmann pin was placed in the lateral column of the distal humerus in each pin construct. Results Follow-up radiographs indicated a mean Baumann’s angle of 72.9° (range 64°–82°). There was no statistically significant change in the Baumann’s angle or axial alignment at final follow-up. All but one fracture healed in an anatomic po...
A procedure for the isolation of highly purified populations of B cells, T cells and monocytes from human peripheral and umbilical cord blood

A sequential separation protocol is described which reproducibly yields biologically active populations of B cells, T cells and monocytes from human peripheral and umbilical cord blood. The purification protocol employed T lymphocyte rosetting with unmodified sheep red blood cells, monocyte adherence to microexudate-coated flasks and anti-immunoglobulin panning of B cells. Population purity was determined by cytofluorographic light scatter analysis, expression of cell surface markers, esterase activity and mitogen responsiveness. The sequential protocol reproducibly yielded viable and functionally active cell populations of greater than 95% purity from a single starting population of mononuclear cells.
Genetics and speciation

Called the "mystery of mysteries" by Darwin, speciation is still a little-understood area of evolution. Genetic analysis, however, has yielded new generalizations about speciation and suggests promising avenues of research.
Marginal Lands and Suburban Nature: Open Space Planning and the Case of the 1893 Boston Metropolitan Parks Plan:

Soon after publication, the 1893 Boston Metropolitan Parks Report came to be regarded as a model plan for American cities. Little known to the public today, it is frequently cited by landscape and planning historians as a testament to the vision of “pioneer” landscape architect Charles Eliot and metropolitan planning advocate Sylvester Baxter. However, planning historians have overlooked key aspects of the plan and omitted significant details about the authors’ redevelopment and planning goals. I argue that Eliot and Baxter viewed open space planning as a means of combating slums and establishing a regionwide land use template for future growth.
Calcium ions to cross-link supramolecular nanofibers to tune the elasticity of hydrogels over orders of magnitude.

Learning from the stabilization of protein structures, we combine aromatic–aromatic and electrostatic interactions to tailor the elasticity of supramolecular hydrogels. Specifically, calcium ions allow interfiber cross-links among the supramolecular nanofibers of small peptides that consist of multiple carboxylic acid and aromatic groups. A small change in the concentration of calcium increases the elasticity of hydrogels over several orders of magnitude. This simple approach not only demonstrates a biomimetic design of materials but also confirms that the combination of multiple aromatic–aromatic interactions and multiple calcium salt bridges is a feasible way to control the mechanical properties of soft nanomaterials.
Organ‐Specific Metastases in Melanoma: Experimental Animal Models

Metastases from certain primary tumors frequently exhibit specific organ preference. Animal models have been developed to induce in a reproducible fashion the formation of organ-specific metastases by malignant melanoma cells. Some of these models rely on the use of immunodeficient mice, which can support the growth of murine as well as human malignant melanomas. Moreover, immunodeficient mice, because of their diminished ability to mount an effective immune response, allow the expression of malignant properties (e.g., preferential colonization of certain organs), which are intrinsic to transplanted melanoma cells. This review discusses the relevant factors (and limitations) of some of the animal models used to study the in vivo properties of melanoma cells.
Nutritional aspects of the short bowel syndrome

Adequate oral nutrition in patients with short bowel syndrome after operation is limited by the amount of intestine left after resection. The remnant small intestine has an important capacity to compensate for the loss of mucosal tissue and develops intestinal hyperplasia when stimulated by a variety of luminal and extraluminal factors such as nutrients, pancreatic biliary secretions, growth factors and hormones. In order to provide appropriate stimuli for the intestinal adaptation after resection, oral feeding is necessary as early as possible after operation. Among nutrients fat, especially LCT and free fatty acids, are the most stimulating nutrients besides proteins and carbohydrates. They increase pancreatic biliary secretions and the excretion of growth promoting hormones such as enteroglucagon. Because of gastric acid hypersecretion the administration of H2 receptor blocking agents (cimetidine) is recommended in these patients. As oral caloric intake is not sufficient in most patients with short bowel syndrome after operation total parenteral nutrition (TPN) or home-TPN has to be installed for longer periods to supplement the appropriate nutritional needs. Both early oral feeding together with TPN or home-TPN have increased considerably the survival rate of children with short bowel syndrome.
Research notes: ELISPOT assay for detection of antibody secreting cells to infectious bursal disease virus in chickens.

Abstract The ELISPOT assay was used to enumerate antibody secreting cells (ASC) in spleens of chickens infected with infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). In the first experiment, chickens were orally challenged with IBDV. Spleens were collected 14 d later and used for ELISPOT assay. The assay detected 16 to 28 IgG ASC per 10(6) splenocytes and 3 to 6 IgM ASC per 10(6) splenocytes. In the second experiment, chickens were vaccinated against IBDV and orally challenged with IBDV 14 d after vaccination. Spleens were collected 7 d postchallenge. The ELISPOT assay detected 18 to 128 IgG ASC per 10(6) splenocytes and 4 to 6 IgM ASC per 10(6) splenocytes. The results indicated that the ELISPOT assay can be used to measure isotype-specific antibody responses to IBDV or other avian pathogens.
Modification of microelectrode arrays: new microelectrochemical devices for sensor applications

Microelectrode arrays consisting of two or eight closely spaced (ca. 1 $\mu$ m) gold or platinum microelectrodes (approximate dimensions 2 $\mu$ m wide x 50 $\mu$ m long x 0.1 $\mu$ m high) can be modified with a variety of redox-active materials in a way that leads to microelectrochemical devices that may be useful as sensors. In general, a pair of microelectrodes connected by a redox-active material represents a device, because the current, I $\_d$ , passing from one microelectrode (source) to the other (drain) at a fixed potential between them, V $\_d$ , can be modulated by electrically or chemically induced changes in the state of charge of the redox material. The fundamental issues associated with pH-sensitive devices based on poly (3-methylthiophene), poly(4-vinylpyridine), a viologen-quinone redox polymer and WO $_3$ are described to illustrate generic concepts that underlie the development of microelectrochemical sensors.
TPA-induction of c-fos mRNA during the cell cycle of WI-38 human fibroblasts

A brief exposure of quiescent (Go) WI-38 human fibroblasts to the tumor promoter TPA results in an increase in the mRNA levels of c-fos protooncogene. The same effect is produced by exposing to TPA human diploid fibroblasts WI38 synchronized in S phase by treatment with 2.5 mM hydroxyurea. Induction of c-fos mRNA in response to TPA occurs also during the progression of synchronized WI38 throughout the second and third cell cycle, but it is not associated with measurable changes in the cell cycle progression of these cells. These findings suggest that TPA induction of c-fos mRNA levels in proliferating cells is a stimulus specific rather than a function specific event.
Chronopotentiometry of hydrogen peroxide with a platinum wire electrode

Abstract The oxidation and reduction of hydrogen peroxide are diffusion controlled in 1.0 F sulfuric acid. It is believed that hydrogen peroxide is reduced by oxidizing the platinum surface; the platinum oxides are then reduced by direct electron-transfer. In both sulfuric acid and in 0.5 F perchloric acid, the reduction process is more rapid than diffusion only if the electrode surface is lightly platinized or “activated”. This implies that the chemical step proceeds rapidly only on a platinized surface. This lightly platinized surface causes shorter anodic transition times in both solutions because the disproportionation rate is increased on such surfaces. A Haber-Weiss mechanism is invoked to explain the reduction process after the manner of kolthoff and Jordan. It is thought that oxygen formed by disproportionation catalyzes the reduction of hydrogen peroxide ; at more cathodic potentials, the hydrogen peroxide is reduced directly since the reduction wave displays doublet character. Rapid decreases or fluctuations in the overpotential for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide were observed in perchloric acid for hydrogen peroxide concentrations greater than 6 m F . The presence of small amounts of cyanide, sulfate, borate, chloride, and methyl red inhibit the minima. Large current densities also inhibit the minima.
Morphological evidence for 6-hydroxydopamine-induced sprouting of noradrenergic neurons in the cerebellum

Intracisternal injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into young rats during the first 24 hours after birth resulted in a significant elevation of cerebellar norepinephrine by day 9. This elevation continued through 120 days. Fluorescence microscopy demonstrated an increased fluorescence in all layers of the cerebellar cortex in treated rats from 9 days after treatment through 120 days. This was considerably greater than the normal developmental change observed in control rats and appeared to be due to an increased number of fluorescent terminals. Quantitative electron-microscopic analysis indicated that all layers of the cerebellar cortex of treated rats contained significantly more boutons with small dense-cored vesicles (SGV), a morphologic marker for catecholamines, than controls. No significant difference in the number of SGVs per bouton was observed in 6-OHDA treated rats.
Asbestos Inhalation and the Induction of Splenic Lymphocytic Proliferation in the Rat

T here is evidence that the alveolar macrophage plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of asbestosis, since this phagocytic cell is an important component of evolving lesions in this disease.1 We have recently demonstrated that alveolar macrophages obtained from asbestos-exposed rats can evoke a stabilized physical interaction during in vitro culture with autologous T cell-enriched splenic lymphocytes.2 This interaction was shown to have two components: an effect analogous to that produced by subjecting macrophages to the peroxidant action of sodium metaperiodate (Na104)3 and an effect which was similar to antigendirected clustering of lymphocytes around macrophages.4 As an extension of the previous study we now report that alveolar macrophages obtained from asbestos-exposed rats can initiate a vigorous in vitro splemc lymphocyte proliferative response.
Digital-item-based media management system and applications

This paper presents a new system architecture for managing multimedia content based on the digital item concept defined by MPEG-21. The focus is to provide a common interface such that: (1) media resources and metadata can be bound together and accessed seamlessly via a single platform-independent abstraction; (2) arbitrary, heterogeneous metadata formats can be used; and (3) content can be reliably exchanged and shared across different platforms. We demonstrate the effectiveness of such a system via two real-world applications: a media server product and a digital match management system for sports content.
Effects of a Single Session of Posterior-to-Anterior Spinal Mobilization and Press-up Exercise on Pain Response and Lumbar Spine Extension in People With Nonspecific Low Back Pain

Background and Purpose: Posterior-to-anterior (PA) mobilization and press-up exercises are common physical therapy interventions used to treat low back pain. The purpose of this study was to examine the immediate effects of PA mobilization and a press-up exercise on pain with standing extension and lumbar extension in people with nonspecific low back pain. Subjects: The study participants were 30 adults (19 women and 11 men) who were 18 to 45 years of age and had a diagnosis of nonspecific low back pain. Methods: Lumbar segmental extension during a press-up maneuver was measured by dynamic magnetic resonance imaging prior to and immediately following a single session of either PA spinal mobilization or a press-up exercise. Pain scores before and after intervention were recorded with a visual analog scale. Differences between the treatment groups in pain and total lumbar extension were compared over time by use of a 2-way analysis of variance. Results: Following both interventions, there was a significant reduction in the average pain scores for both groups (significant main effect for time, no interaction). Similarly, total lumbar extension significantly increased in both the PA mobilization group and the press-up group (significant main effect for time, no interaction). No significant differences between the 2 interventions in pain or lumbar extension were found. Discussion and Conclusion: The findings of this study support the use of PA mobilization and a press-up exercise for improving lumbar extension in people with nonspecific low back pain. Although statistically significant within-group changes in pain were detected, the clinical meaningfulness of these changes is questionable.
Development of Burkholderia mallei and pseudomallei vaccines.

B. mallei and B. pseudomallei are Gram-negative bacteria that cause glanders and melioidosis, respectively. Inhalational infection with either organism can result in severe and rapidly fatal pneumonia. Inoculation by the oral and cutaneous routes can also produce infection. chronic infection develops after recovery from acute infection with both agents, and control of infection with antibiotics requires prolonged treatment. Symptoms for both meliodosis and glanders are non-specific, making diagnosis difficult. B. pseudomallei can be located in the environment, but in the host, B. mallei and B. psedomallei are intracellular organisms. Thefection results in similar immune responses to both agents. Effective early innate immune responses are critical to controlling the early phase of the infection. Innate immune signaling molecules such as TLR, NOD, MyD88 and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IFN- and TNF-α play key roles in regulating control of infection. Neutrophils and monocytes are critical cells in the early infection for these microorganisms. Both monocytes and macrophages are necessary for limiting dissemination of B. pseudomallei. In contrast, the role of adaptive immune responses in controlling Burkholderia infection is less well understood. However, T cell responses are critical for vaccine protection from Burkholderia infection. At present, effective vaccines for prevention of glanders or meliodosis have not been developed, although recently progress of Burkholderia vaccines has received renewed attention. This review will summarize current and past approaches to develop Burkholderia mallei and pseudomalllei vaccines, with emphasis on immune mechanisms of protection and the challenges facing the field. At present, immunization with live attenuated bacteria provides the most effective and durable immunity, and it is important therefore to understand the immune correlates of protection induced by live attenuated vaccines.
Creating a closed loop evironment for condition based maintenance plus (CMB+) and prognostics health management

One important facet of CBM+ is to formulate the assessment of the system based upon objective evaluation of degraded performance or impending failure. Only when the objective evidence substantiates the need to perform a maintenance action would the system be pulled in for maintenance. Viability and acceptance of predictive measures and appropriate metrics to ensure success have crippled efforts to add prognostic systems in the past. Only a portion of the diagnostic information is available directly from the defense system. To get the full picture requires being aware of repair activity at all levels of maintenance to correlate initial conditions to the actual root cause of the failure. This is usually the downfall of most attempts at intelligent maintenance concepts. We have typically done a horrible job of keeping track of parts in maintenance throughout the enterprise. The US Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM), Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC), Diagnostic/Prognostic Laboratory has developed a closed loop environment to address critical aspects of system operation, fault classification, and prognostic health management (PHM). The environment was derived from our automatic test system (ATS) improvement program to develop a closed loop system to monitor ATS performance in the field remotely and be able to provide seamless updates to the operators around the world. Recognizing that today's complex defense system data sources are diverse in their form and their context requires special attention to feature extraction and fusion to reduce potential transmission overload. Periodicity related to the sampling of data and the correlation of the data set to particular incipient fault evidence is of interest to develop a rational architecture for a systems approach to health management. In many cases we monitor individual subsystems or components and singularly diagnose failures into ambiguity groups due to insufficient discrimination of diagnostic information. Therefore we blindly wait for a failure to occur, diagnose the problem, order the appropriate part, wait for its arrival, replace the component upon arrival, test the repaired system, and put it back into operational status. This is not satisfactory any longer.
Hemodynamic forces are complex regulators of endothelial gene expression.

Vascular endothelial cells, by virtue of their unique anatomical position, are constantly exposed to the fluid mechanical forces generated by flowing blood. In vitro studies with model flow systems have demonstrated that wall shear stresses can modulate various aspects of endothelial structure and function. Certain of these effects appear to result from the regulation of expression of endothelial genes at the transcriptional level. Recent molecular biological studies have defined a "shear stress response element" (SSRE) in the promoter of the human platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-B chain gene that interacts with DNA binding proteins in the nuclei of shear-stressed endothelial cells to up-regulate transcriptional activity. Insertion of this element into reporter genes also renders them shear-inducible. Further characterization of this and other positive (and negative) shear-responsive genetic regulatory elements, as well as their transactivating factors, should enhance our understanding of vascular e...
Longitudinal and shear mode ultrasound propagation in human skull bone

Recent studies have attempted to dispel the idea of the longitudinal mode being the only significant mode of ultrasound energy transport through the skull bone. The inclusion of shear waves in propagation models has been largely ignored because of an assumption that shear mode conversions from the skull interfaces to the surrounding media rendered the resulting acoustic field insignificant in amplitude and overly distorted. Experimental investigations with isotropic phantom materials and ex vivo human skulls demonstrated that, in certain cases, a shear mode propagation scenario not only can be less distorted, but at times allowed for a substantial (as much as 36% of the longitudinal pressure amplitude) transmission of energy. The phase speed of 1.0-MHz shear mode propagation through ex vivo human skull specimens has been measured to be nearly half of that of the longitudinal mode (shear sound speed = 1500 +/- 140 m/s, longitudinal sound speed = 2820 +/- 40 m/s), demonstrating that a closer match in impedance can be achieved between the skull and surrounding soft tissues with shear mode transmission. By comparing propagation model results with measurements of transcranial ultrasound transmission obtained by a radiation force method, the attenuation coefficient for the longitudinal mode of propagation was determined to between 14 Np/m and 70 Np/m for the frequency range studied, while the same for shear waves was found to be between 94 Np/m and 213 Np/m. This study was performed within the frequency range of 0.2 to 0.9 MHz.
Ultrasensitive detection of cortisol with enzyme fragment complementation technology using functionalized nanowire.

Abstract Cortisol is a member of the glucocorticoid hormone family and a key metabolic regulator. Increased intracellular cortisol levels have been implicated in type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Cortisol is an important bio-marker of stress and its detection is also important in sports medicine. However, rapid methods for sensitive detection of cortisol are limited. Functionalized gold nanowires were used to enhance the sensitivity and selectivity of cortisol detection. Gold nanowires are used to improve the electron transfer between the electrodes. Moreover, the large surface to volume ratio, small diffusion time and high electrical conductivity and their aligned nature will enhance the sensitivity and detection limit of the biosensor several fold. The biosensor was fabricated using, aligned gold (Au) nanowires to behave as the working electrode, platinum deposited on a silicon chip to function as the counter electrode, and silver/silver chloride as reference electrode. The gold nanowires were coupled with cortisol antibodies using covalent linkage chemistry and a fixed amount of 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase was introduced into the reaction cell during each measurement to convert (reduce) ketosteroid into hydroxyl steroid. Furthermore, the micro-fluidic, micro-fluid part of the sensor was fabricated using micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technology to have better control on liquid flow over Au nanowires to minimize the signal to noise ratio. The biosensor was characterized using SEM, AFM and FTIR technique. The response curve of the biosensor was found to be linear in the range of 10–80 μM of cortisol. Moreover, the presence of hydrocortisone is sensitively detected in the range of 5–30 μM. It is concluded that the functionalized gold nanowires with micro-fluidic device using enzyme fragment complementation technology can provide an easy and sensitive assay for cortisol detection in serum and other biological fluids.
Neonatal Nasal Obstruction

Neonatal nasal obstruction is a true emergency. It is preferable to establish an airway initially, which allows full evaluation of the problem. The newborn should be stabilized prior to embarking on definitive treatment, especially if other congenital anomalies involving multiple organ systems are present. Once the infant9s situation is controlled, appropriate tests, such as diagnostic endoscopy and radiologic imaging, can be undertaken. Medical options should be considered initially. When appropriate, surgical therapy can be curative.
Harris' Mirage: The Positive Service State

In 1942, Joseph Harris anticipated that the United States would develop a highly centralized and rationalized welfare state. The forecast was largely mistaken. The U.S. did develop a expansive national security apparatus that was relatively centralized and rationalized. By contrast, domestic policies were unevenly developed, and often highly decentralized in design. Harris' forecast was unduly influenced by his own observations of trends immediately before the war. He underestimated the powerful underlying forces that have historically checked centralization in the US, and regained strength in the post-war period.
A parametric device study for SiC power electronics

Materials and device researchers build switching devices for the circuits researchers to use in their circuits, but they rarely know how and where the devices are going to be used. The circuits people, including power electronics researchers, take the devices as black boxes and use them in their circuits not knowing much about the inside of the devices. The best way to design optimum devices is an interactive design where people designing and building the devices have a close interaction with the people who use them. This study covers the circuit aspects of the SiC power device development. As a contribution to the above-mentioned interactive design, in this paper, the device parameters, which need to be improved in order to design better devices, are discussed.
Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses as Biological Weapons: Medical and Public Health Management

ObjectiveTo develop consensus-based recommendations for measures to be taken by medical and public health professionals if hemorrhagic fever viruses (HFVs) are used as biological weapons against a civilian population.ParticipantsThe Working Group on Civilian Biodefense included 26 representatives from academic medical centers, public health, military services, governmental agencies, and other emergency management institutions.EvidenceMEDLINE was searched from January 1966 to January 2002. Retrieved references, relevant material published prior to 1966, and additional sources identified by participants were reviewed.Consensus ProcessThree formal drafts of the statement that synthesized information obtained in the evidence-gathering process were reviewed by the working group. Each draft incorporated comments and judgments of the members. All members approved the final draft.ConclusionsWeapons disseminating a number of HFVs could cause an outbreak of an undifferentiated febrile illness 2 to 21 days later, associated with clinical manifestations that could include rash, hemorrhagic diathesis, and shock. The mode of transmission and clinical course would vary depending on the specific pathogen. Diagnosis may be delayed given clinicians' unfamiliarity with these diseases, heterogeneous clinical presentation within an infected cohort, and lack of widely available diagnostic tests. Initiation of ribavirin therapy in the early phases of illness may be useful in treatment of some of these viruses, although extensive experience is lacking. There are no licensed vaccines to treat the diseases caused by HFVs.
Increased cancer risk associated with CT in childhood

Commentary on: Mathews JD, Forsythe AV, Brady Z, et al. Cancer risk in 6 80 000 people exposed to CT scans in childhood or adolescence: data linkage study of 11 million Australians. BMJ 2013;346:f2360[OpenUrl][1][Abstract/FREE Full Text][2] CT has undergone tremendous technological improvements with incredibly diverse clinical applications. The result of these innovations has significantly increased utilisation. Concern for the risks associated with the exposure to ionising radiation has risen. Analysis based on survivors from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings has been one of the central methods to understand these risks. These analyses require estimations and extrapolations and thus controversy and doubts persist. There is consensus that children are particularly radiosensitive given their rapidly dividing cells and their life expectancies. Therefore, a study that attempts to determine the risks to children exposed to ionising radiation dose at levels comparable to current clinical practice is crucial to creating … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DBMJ%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1136%252Fbmj.f2360%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F23694687%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=ABST&journalCode=bmj&resid=346/may21_1/f2360&atom=%2Febmed%2F19%2F1%2F36.atom
Input modeling techniques for discrete-event simulations

Most discrete-event simulation models have stochastic elements that mimic the probabilistic nature of the system under consideration. A close match between the input model and the true underlying probabilistic mechanism associated with the system is required for successful input modeling. The general question considered here is how to model an element (e.g., arrival process, service times) in a discrete-event simulation, given a data set collected on the element of interest. For brevity, it is assumed that data is available on the aspect of the simulation of interest. It is also assumed that raw data is available, as opposed to censored data, grouped data, or summary statistics. This example-driven tutorial examines introductory techniques for input modeling. Most simulation texts (e.g., A.M. Law and W.D. Kelton, 2000) have a broader treatment of-input modeling than presented in the article. B.L. Nelson and M. Yamnitsky (1998) survey advanced techniques.
Decapitation Impacting Effect of Topically Applied Chlorpyrifos on Acetylcholinesterase and General Esterases in Susceptible and Resistant German Cockroaches (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae)

The effect of topically applied chlorpyrifos on acetylcholinesterase and other ester- ases in heads and decapitated bodies of CSMA and Crawford German cockroaches was examined with spectrophotometric enzyme assay and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The toxicity of chlorpyrifos was greatly reduced in decapitated CSMA male cockroaches with LD50 value 17.1-fold higher than that of normal CSMA cockroaches. Acetylcholinesterase activity from heads was significantly higher in the Crawford compared with the CSMA strain and did not change until 24 h after chlorpyrifos in vivo treatment in both strains. The p-nitrophenyl butyrate (NPB) esterase activities from both heads and decapitated bodies of the resistant Crawford strain were significantly greater than the susceptible CSMA strain. The p-NPB esterase activity was significantly inhibited by chlorpyrifos in vivo treatment, and total p-NPB esterase activity was significantly reduced in decapitated bodies compared with heads of both strains. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) analysis of extracts solubilized with Triton X-100 from heads and decapitated bodies revealed five major esterase bands and an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) band with a high capability of hydrolyzing a-naphthyl butyrate and acetylthiocholine, respectively. In the heads of susceptible CSMA male cockroaches, the activity of mobile isozymes d1 and d2 was completely inhibited at 24 h after chlorpyrifos application, and isozyme e was partially inhibited. In contrast, isozymes c1 and c2 from the decapitated bodies of CSMA cockroaches were mostly affected at 24 h after the topical application of chlorpyrifos. The activities of acetylcholinesterase and esterase isozymes a and b from the decapitated body remained uninhibited in both strains. Inhibition of isozymes d1 and d2 seems to be more important in chlorpyrifos intoxication than acetylcholinesterase.
Testosterone concentration and insulin sensitivity in young men with type 1 and type 2 diabetes

Objective Reduced testosterone, a recognized comorbidity of reduced insulin sensitivity (IS) and type 2 diabetes (T2D), has also been reported in adult males with type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, there are limited data on how early reduced testosterone occurs, and whether it is related to the reduced IS in T1D. Leptin, a modulator of the HPG-axis, may also influence testosterone in T1D. We hypothesized that IS and leptin would be associated with total testosterone (TT), and free androgen index (FAI) in adolescent males with T1D. Methods T1D (n = 35), T2D (n = 13), lean (n = 13) and obese (n = 9) adolescent males had IS measured by hyperinsulinemic–euglycemic clamps (glucose infusion rate [GIR]), in addition to leptin, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), TT, and FAI. The cohort was stratified into those with T1D (n = 35) and those without (n = 35). Results TT and SHBG were lower in T2D boys vs. lean controls, and GIR and leptin correlated with FAI and TT in non-T1D participants. However, despite being insulin resistant, adolescent males with T1D had normal TT and FAI, unrelated to GIR. In T1D, leptin was inversely associated with TT (p = 0.005) and FAI (p = 0.01), independent of puberty, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), diabetes duration, body mass index (BMI) z-score and GIR. Conclusion Leptin accounted for a significant proportion of the variability of testosterone in T1D. However, despite reduced IS, there was no association between IS and testosterone in T1D adolescents. These observations suggest that the mechanisms affecting testosterone may differ between adolescent males with and without T1D.
Effects of human agent service quality in an instant messaging decision support system on the customer’s trust building

Bridging the trust-based decision-making theories with the SERVPERF framework, we introduce a new model to investigate the effects of human agent service quality of an Instant Messaging Decision Support System (IMDSS) on the customer's trust and perceived risk before purchasing in a marketplace with uncertainties. We also introduce a new service quality measurement model, IM-SERVPERF, to fill the current research gap in understanding the composite factors of a quality human service delivered by an instant messaging system. We suggest the findings will contribute to the computer-mediated service system research, and provide several useful service standards for practitioners.
Optical feedback control of epitaxial growth

Increasing complexity, more stringent tolerances on layer compositions and thicknesses, the trend toward chemical deposition methods, and the need to maintain satisfactory yields despite increasing economic pressures are creating genuine needs for obtaining real-time information about epitaxial growth. While the ultimate goal is closed-loop feedback control, even the more modest objective of monitoring can already provide substantial benefits by allowing conditions to be modified on-line to meet composition and thickness specifications, and by providing records by which causes of downstream failures of complex devices can be identified and eliminated. Optical probes are attractive because they are noninvasive and can be used in any transparent ambient, including the high pressure ambients used for organometallic chemical vapor deposition (OMCVD). Traditional difficulties regarding surface sensitivity have been overcome by the invention of new and improvements of existing techniques, and sample-driven closed-loop feedback control of epitaxial growth has now been achieved. >
U-Pb-Hf characterization of the central Coast Mountains batholith: Implications for petrogenesis and crustal architecture

We present U-Pb geochronologic and Hf isotopic data from 29 plutonic samples within the Coast Mountain batholith, north-coastal British Columbia and southeast Alaska. Hf isotopic values do not correlate with age or variation in magmatic flux, but rather they increase systematically from west (e_(Hf)[t] = +2 to +5) to east (e_(Hf)[t] = +10 to +13) in response to changing country rock assemblages. By comparing our pluton Hf data with previously reported Nd-Sr and detrital zircon characteristics of associated country rocks, we identify three crustal domains in an area where crustal affinity is largely obscured by metamorphism and voluminous pluton intrusion: (1) a western domain, emplaced into continental-margin strata of the Banks Island assemblage; (2) a central domain, emplaced into the Alexander terrane; and (3) an eastern domain, underlain by the Stikine terrane and its inferred metamorphic equivalents. Between the interpreted Alexander and Stikine terranes, there is a zone of variable e_(Hf)(t) (+2 to +13) that coincides with the suture zone separating inboard (Stikine and Yukon-Tanana) from outboard (Alexander and associated) terranes. This variation in e_(Hf)(t) values apparently results from the structural imbrication of juvenile (Alexander and Stikine) and evolved (Yukon-Tanana) terranes along mid-Cretaceous thrust faults and the latest Cretaceous–early Tertiary Coast shear zone. Shifts in the Hf values of plutons across inferred terranes imply that they are separated at lower- to midcrustal levels by steep boundaries. Correlation between these Hf values and the isotopic character of exposed country rocks further implies the presence of those or similar rocks at magma-generation depths.
Tort Liability of Coaches for Injuries to Professional Athletes: Overcoming Policy and Doctrinal Barriers

The resolution of seemingly straightforward disputes that arise in sports often require courts to invoke rules from several substantive areas of the law. The potential tort liability of coaches and their teams for injuries to professional athletes provides such an illustration. Determining the culpability of coaches requires resort not only to tort law doctrine, but also to doctrine and policy related to contract, labor, and workers compensation law. This article first provides an overview of the law regarding the tort liability of institutions for injuries to athletes and the standards of care that courts have adopted. The article suggests that the breach of any duty imposed on coaches and their teams to players would most likely be assessed according to a heightened standard of care, specifically recklessness. The article concludes, however, that even if a coach engages in conduct that falls short of the applicable standard of care, a professional athlete will have difficulty prevailing in a tort-based civil action against a coach, or by virtue of vicarious liability, the team. In this regard, the article briefly discusses the defenses that might impede a player's ability to pursue state tort claims. These defenses, which include the labor law preemption doctrine, mandatory arbitration, and workers compensation, demonstrate the convergence of different strands of law in resolving sports-related disputes.
The Age of Innocence at Maturity (Reviewing Sarah Lucy Cooper, Ed., Innocence Controversies in America (2014))

The effort to investigate and litigate claims of innocence by prisoners has experienced growing pains in the twenty-five years since post-conviction DNA testing first exonerated an American inmate. But now it is fair to say that these collective efforts have reached an age of maturity; they represent a true political, legal and social “movement.” Innocence Controversies in America, a collection of essays edited by Sarah Lucy Cooper, evaluates the impact of this movement. It is a nice addition to the scholarly literature, with offerings from some of the finest academics in the field.