cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Prevalence, Frequency and Social Ecology of Sexual Concurrency Among Young Adult Women.

Context Sexual concurrency among women is associated with increased risks of STD transmission, unintended pregnancy and sexual health disparities. Understanding the prevalence of concurrency-overlapping sexual partnerships-is imperative to reducing these disparities. Methods Weekly, population-representative panel data from 757 women aged 18-22, collected from 2008 to 2012 in Michigan, were drawn from the Relationship Dynamics and Social Life study. Univariate analyses assessed the prevalence of two forms of sexual concurrency. Multivariate logistic regression models investigated associations between women's social-ecological characteristics and concurrency. Results Twenty percent of women had vaginal intercourse with two partners in one week; 14% had intercourse with a second partner during an ongoing relationship. In both cases, the majority of individuals had intercourse with the second partner in one to three weeks in total. The likelihood of both types of concurrency was elevated among women who believed they should have sex with men after seeing them for a while (log-odds, 0.27 and 0.23, respectively) and among those who were Black (0.58 and 1.02, respectively); the likelihood was reduced among women who were more willing to refuse unwanted sex (-0.10 and -0.13, respectively) and who were in exclusive, cohabiting, or married or engaged relationships (-1.82 to -2.64). Having intercourse with multiple partners in one week was also associated with receiving sex education from parents, the degree that parents and friends approved of sex, and having had early intercourse without contraception. Conclusions Sexual concurrency among young women is prevalent but intermittent, and interventions that address individuals' social-ecological contexts are needed to reduce negative health outcomes.
Coin as Imagined Sovereignty: A Rhetorical Analysis of Coins as a Transhistorical Artifact and an Ideograph in Islamic State’s Communication

This research argues that an imagined artifact, the IS coins, serves as a transhistorical artifact, condensing the larger ideology of the violent extremist organization of legitimacy and sovereignt...
Fast Forward into the Past: Frederick Ackerman’s Radical Banality and the Affordable Housing Future That Could Have Been

The design of affordable housing is a pursuit inextricably linked to the project of modernism. In New York City the achievements of its housing authority would become immediately recognizable for t...
Implementation of a Standardized Prenatal Testing Protocol in an Integrated, Multihospital Health System.

Objectives When our institution grew into an integrated multihospital health system, we were faced with the need to standardize laboratory processes, including blood bank processes, across all locations. The purpose of this article is to describe our experience of standardizing the protocols for prenatal testing. Methods For each hospital in the system, we established service tiers to define tests offered on site or referred to another location. For each prenatal test, we examined the related processes for ways to improve uniformity, efficiency, and reliability. Throughout this process of standardization, we collaborated with the clinical services to gain concurrence on the interpretation and reporting of results. Results We created and implemented a uniform protocol for testing prenatal patients. The protocol standardized the definition of critical titer, instituted criteria to identify passively acquired anti-D, and established a process for the follow-up of women with inconsistent serologic results on Rh(D) typing. Conclusions Close collaboration with the clinical services ensured that our testing protocol is aligned with the needs of the integrated obstetrics service in the health system. The approach described in this article may provide a plan outline for pathologists facing similar challenges at other integrated health systems.
Orthotopic Liver Transplantation in a Cirrhotic Patient With Recent COVID-19 Infection

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a decrease in liver transplantation because of concerns regarding safety and healthcare resource utilization. There are scant data regarding the safety, optimal timing, and preferred postsurgical immunosuppression regimens for liver transplantation in patients recovered from COVID-19 infection. We describe our experience with one of the first reported cases of orthotopic liver transplantation in a patient who had recently recovered from COVID-19 infection. Using our experience as an example, orthotopic liver transplantation in patients that have recovered from COVID-19 may be safe.
Students as Information Responders and Creators during a University Shooting

Crises are phenomenally complex communicative events that require swift, intentional, and fluid communication. Although organizations are typically equipped to engage in crisis communication, organ...
Power and Compliance: An Investigation in a Channel Behavior Setting

In a channel of distribution, a successful influence attempt results in the target complying with the wishes of the source. This article investigates the relationship between the target’s perception of the sources’s power bases, the target’s desire for autonomy, and the importance the target places on the decision variable that is being influenced, and the target’s probability of complying when the source uses a request influence strategy. More specifically, this article presents the results of an ploratory model of compliance in a manufacturer/ manufacturer’s representative channel of distribution.
Characterization of copy number variations (CNV) in the NKG2C receptor gene

The cytolytic function of natural killer (NK) cells is controlled by a balance of activatory and inhibitory signals transduced by specific NK-cell receptors. NKG2 family is one of the superfamilies of these receptor genes located on chromosome 12 in the NKC gene complex. NKG2C is expressed as heterodimers with CD94 and they deliver activating signals upon contacting HLA-E via adaptor molecules. NKG2C genes are not only polymorphic and also NKG2C gene deletion was identified. The aim of the study was to develop a genotyping assay for the detection of the wild type and the deletion of the NKG2C gene. Method Copy numbers of the NKG2C genes were genotyped and assessed in 352 subjects by PCR-SSP method using a set of primer pairs described previously (Mararu M & Miyashita R, etc.). Two pairs of primers are used to detect the NKG2C genotypes: one pairs to amplify a 201 bp fragment from NKG2C wild type (wt) carrier; and the second pairs to amplify a 411 bp fragment from NKG2C deletion (del) carrier. A single-tube PCR-SSP genotyping strategy combining the two sets of primers was modified from Moraru M, etc. (Tissue Antigens, 2012). Results The presence or absence of NKG2C gene was determined by the single-tube PCR-SSP assay. Three genotypes were observed in the study subjects: wild type homozygous carrier (wt/wt), wild type and deletion heterozygous carrier (wt/del), and deletion homozygous carrier (del/del). Copy number of NKG2C in 3 International Histocompatibility Workshop (IHW) cells was assessed and confirmed: IHW 9043 as NKG2C wt/wt , IHW 9047 as NKG2C wt/del , and IHW 9044 as NKG2C del/del . Of the 352 subjects, wt/wt genotype accounted for 62.82% ( n = 221), wt/del for 32.88% ( n = 116), and del/del for 4.3% ( n = 15). The allele frequency of NKG2C deletion was 20.74% in this study group. Conclusion Studies have shown that NK cells expressing the activating receptor NKG2C preferentially expand after coculture with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infected fibroblasts and CMV-induced innate memory cells may contribute to malignant disease relapse protection and infectious disease control after transplantation. NKG2C deletion was shown to be a risk factor of HIV infection. Further study of the impact of the NKG2C CNV on outcomes of stem cell transplants with umbilical cord blood, related or unrelated donors would be warranted.
Measuring Job Satisfaction in Portuguese Health Professionals: Correlates and validation of the job descriptive index and the job in general scale

This paper presents the psychometric properties of the job descriptive index (JDI) and job in general (JIG) instruments in a Portuguese sample of health professionals from hospitals and health centers. Demographic and professional correlates of job satisfaction are also investigated. The sample consists of 1,314 health professionals including physicians, nurses, administrators, and diagnostic technicians. The results show high internal consistency coefficients for the scores on the JDI subscales and the JIG scale, ranging from .75 to .90. The data supported the 5-factor structure of the JDI scales. The factor analyses and the correlation coefficients did not support the distinction between an overall job satisfaction measure and the evaluation of the satisfaction with the present work. The results offer empirical support for the Portuguese adaptation of the JDI and JIG scales. Level of education emerged as the most important demographic correlate of job satisfaction facets and global satisfaction, and supervisory role as the most significant professional correlate.
«Ecodesign : Methodology and green guide» AREVA T&D / DRC

Sustainable development involves a continuous preservation of the earth resources for future generations to meet their own needs. The evolution of environmental awareness promoted the emergence of "ecodesign" principles in the 90's.
Exonuclease proofreading by human mitochondrial DNA polymerase.

We have examined the ability of the human mitochondrial DNA polymerase to correct errors in DNA sequence using single turnover kinetic methods. The rate of excision of single-stranded DNA ranged from 0.07 to 0.17 s−1, depending on the identity of the 3′-base. Excision of the 3′-terminal base from correctly base paired DNA occurred at a rate of 0.05 s−1, indicating that the cost of proofreading is minimal, as defined by the ratio of the kexo for correctly base-paired DNA divided by the rate of forward polymerization (0.05/37 = 0.14%). Excision of duplex DNA containing 1–7 mismatches was biphasic, and the rate and amplitude of the fast phase increased with the number of mismatches, reaching a maximum of 9 s−1. We showed that transfer of DNA from the polymerase to the exonuclease active site and back again occurs through an intramolecular reaction, allowing for a complete cycle of reactions for error correction. For DNA containing a buried mismatch (T:T followed by C:G base pairs), the 3′ base was removed at a rate of 3 s−1. The addition of nucleotide to the reaction that is identical to the 3′ base increased the rate of excision 7-fold to 21 s−1. We propose that the free nucleotide enhances the rate of transfer of the DNA to the exonuclease active site by interrupting the correct 3′ base pair through interaction with the template base. The exonuclease contribution to fidelity is minimal if the calculation is based on hydrolysis of a single mismatch: (kexo +kpol,over)/(kpol,over) = 10, but this value increases to ∼200 when examining error correction in the presence of nucleotides.
Exterior antennas for wireless medical links: EBG backed dipole and loop antennas

Antennas located at the outside of a human body are studied through FDTD simulations. Low-profile antennas are designed using electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structure and are positioned to radiate power to the outside and inside of a human body. By changing the distance between the antennas and a biological tissue, the return loss variations of the antennas are observed and the radiation efficiencies and specific absorption ratio (SAR) are calculated.
Intra-day Trading Volume Patterns Of Equity Markets: A Study Of US And European Stock Markets

We investigate the pattern of intra-day volume of trading in five different equity markets: The New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ in the US, and The London Stock Exchange, Deutsche Boerse, and Euronext Paris in Europe. For the European markets, we repeat our investigation for two separate study periods to check for the consistency of our results and also to account for important rule changes that took place in the middle of the year in those markets. For the US markets, the intra-day pattern of volume is a reverse J-shape, consistent with previous literature. On the other hand, for all the European markets, volume is quite low at the open and picks up towards the end of the trading day. The most striking case is the London Stock Exchange, where, at the beginning of the day, the volume is the lowest across all markets studied. Additionally, we find that the rule changes in the European markets pertaining to introduction of call auctions, and extension of trading hours met with mixed success.
A Review of “The Library: An Illustrated History”

Those who work in libraries know it best: as the economy declines, library use rises. Nicholas A. Basbanes, author of such tributes to book culture as A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, a...
Comparison of luminal enlargement by direct coronary stenting versus predilation coronary stenting by three-dimensional volumetric intravascular ultrasound analysis.

S tudies using planar intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) have shown that during intracoronary stent implantation, the mechanisms of lumen enlargement are similar to those of balloon angioplasty, with significant plaque redistribution and extrusion, vessel expansion, and plaque reduction. However, these assessments were performed with stents implanted after predilation by balloon. New stents, crimped onto their low-profile flexible delivery systems, with more rapid tapering of the balloon outside of the conical markers, are suitable for direct stenting (DS). DS has become routine in some laboratories. This new therapeutic approach of DS without predilation provides a way to rationalize stent implantation with the potential of less ischemic complications, less use of balloons, and less x-ray exposure. Although DS has become widespread, the mechanism by which it causes lumen enlargement is still unknown. Furthermore, there remains concern about the risk of microplaque embolization with DS. The present 3-dimensional volumetric IVUS study compares the mechanisms of lumen enlargement with DS versus predilation stenting (PDS) using the same contemporary stent design and the same stent length. • • • We retrospectively studied 30 patients with DS and 30 patients with PDS of nonostial, noncalcified, native coronary lesions treated with the same stent design and dimensions (ACS Multilink DUET or TRISTAR stent, Guidant Corporation, Santa Clara, California) and the same stent length (13 mm). The decision to predilate or not to predilate was partly based on general operator attitude. All lesions in both groups had met the inclusion criterion of the physical feasability of preintervention IVUS examination. Consequently, the DS success rate was 100%. For each procedure, the number of inflations, the maximum balloon inflation pressure, and the diameter of the stent used were recorded. Stent-to-artery ratio was defined as the diameter of the stent (according to the linear compliance curve of the balloon and the maximum balloon inflation pressure) divided by the reference luminal diam-
Echocardiographic assessment of pulmonary arterial pressure in children with complete right bundle branch block

Abstract The time interval between tricuspid valve closure and pulmonary valve opening, termed the isovolumic contraction time of the right ventricle, was evaluated echographically in 38 normal children and within 24 hours of cardiac catheterization in 53 children with congenital heart disease and normal conduction as assessed with the electrocardiogram. In the 53 patients with congenital heart disease, isovolumic contraction time was strongly influenced by right ventricular afterload, as defined by pulmonary arterial end-diastolic pressure (r = 0.87). It was possible to utilize isovolumic contraction time to separate patients with normal or elevated values for pulmonary arterial end-diastolic pressure. Similar correlations were demonstrated between isovolumic contraction time and mean pulmonary arterial pressure and calculated pulmonary vascular resistance. Evaluation of 15 children with complete right bundle branch block revealed values for isovolumic contraction time that did not significantly differ from those of patients with similar pulmonary arterial end-diastolic pressure but no conduction abnormalities. These findings indicate that serial echographic evaluation of the interval from tricuspid valve closure to pulmonary valve opening can give an accurate reproducible assessment of right ventricular afterload in many children with congenital heart disease and complete right bundle branch block.
Effects of waterlogging on chickpeas. I. Influence of timing of waterlogging

The effect of timing of waterlogging on chickpeas was examined in two pot trials. Plants were waterlogged for ten days from 21 days after sowing (DAS), at flowering or at mid-pod fill, plus combinations of these times. Waterlogging at any stage reduced seed yield; waterlogging at 21 DAS had the least effect, reducing yield relative to the non-waterlogged control by 35%. Ability of the plant to survive and regrow following waterlogging decreased with increasing physiological age: mortality rate averaged 0, 30 and 100% after waterlogging at 21 DAS, flowering and pod fill, respectively. Tolerance to waterlogging was not enhanced by previous exposure to waterlogging.
Extensive Experiments on Genetic Algorithms for the Optimization of Piezoelectric Actuator Locations

For shape control of smart structures, we have developed a series of micro-genetic-algorithms for optimal placement of a large number of piezoelectric actuators. Here, we investigate the effect on the solution quality of 1) different random seed generators; 2) restart criteria in micro-genetic-algorithms, specifically the two parameters, the number of generations used for the inner loop and the level of diversity in the population; and 3) different numbers of actuators. We also report a comparison of our genetic algorithms with two heuristic integer programming algorithms: worst-out-best-in and exhaustive single point substitution proposed by Haftka and Adelman ("Selection of Actuator Locations for Static Shape Control of Large Space Structures by Heuristic Integer Programming," Computers and Structures, Vol. 20, 1985, pp. 572-582). Using current genetic algorithms, we not only get better layouts of actuators than reported in our previous publications, but we also find that the most distinct nature of genetic algorithms is randomness and robustness. The best parameter setting of genetic algorithms is dependent on both the number of evaluations used for termination and the seed generator used. Moreover, the best parameter setting of genetic algorithms varies as the number of actuators changes. To get the highest quality of solutions, multiple runs using different random seed generators are necessary. The time of investigation can be significantly reduced using a coarse grain parallel computing. Comparison of our genetic algorithms with the worst-out-best-in and exhaustive single point substitution shows that for a group of runs our genetic algorithms usually converge faster in the first few thousand evaluations and are more likely to find better solutions than the worst-out-best-in and exhaustive single point substitution algorithms.
Sublimation of graphite at hypersonic speeds

In this paper, a new theoretical model is presented for the sublimation of graphite at hypersonic flight speeds. The aerothermochemical interactions between dissociated air and graphite are treated by means of a nine-component model, including O, O2, N, N2, CO, CO2, C, C3, and CN. The mass-transfer rate, the heat-transfer rate, and the skin-friction coefficient are determined numerically and are then correlated by means of algebraic equations as a function of stagnation pressure, stagnation enthalpy, and wall temperature in the high-Reynoldsnumber stagnation-point flow regime.
Epidemiologic Study of Regular Analgesic Use and End-Stage Renal Disease

A case-control study of the relationship between regular analgesic consumption and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) development was conducted and was made up of 527 patients with ESRD and 1,047 matched controls from southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. The study was unable to demonstrate an increased risk of ESRD associated with use of analgesics either as single compounds or in combinations. In addition, no consistent dose or duration relationship was shown for users of specific analgesic combinations or for single compounds. We suggest that if there is an association between the use of analgesics and ESRD development, the risk is not large or at least not large in the geographic area where the study was carried out.
Design of adaptive optical equalizers for fiber optic communication systems

An efficient optical adaptive equalizer has been developed for the optical processing of guided lightwave signal waveforms corrupted by time-varying dispersion and attenuation effects. The optical equalizer is based upon a tapped delay line filter built by laser ablative chemical etching. The least-mean-square algorithm is used to adapt an equalizer''s weights in real-time as the optical channel varies. The equalizer is designed for incoherent lightwave systems carrying binary, on/off keyed, digital data.
Efficient dark markets

This paper studies a standard dynamic trading environment with asymmetric information. A trading mechanism, called a dark market, is proposed that achieves allocative efficiency (i.e., maximizes the total surplus). The mechanism’s critical feature is that it conceals from traders the history of past trades. Under plausible conditions, the dark market is stable (i.e., impervious to non-conforming trades offered by an entrant market-maker).
A PRACTICAL MOIRÉ INTERFEROMETRY SYSTEM FOR TESTING MACHINE APPLICATIONS

A variety of experiments were performed on a 60,000-lb-capacity testing machine using a compact moire inter-ferometry system with high displacement sensitivity. High loads and test versatility were achieved. Quality fringe patterns were obtained using a low-power laser and short exposure times.
Differential repair of DNA damage in specific nucleotide sequences in monkey cells

Abstract An immunological method was developed that isolates DNA fragments containing bromouracil in repair patches from unrepaired DNA using a monoclonal antibody that recognizes bromouracil. Cultured monkey cells were exposed to either UV light or the activated carcinogen aflatoxin B1 and excision repair of damage in DNA fragments containing the integrated and transcribed E. coli gpt gene was compared to that in the genome overall. A more rapid repair, of both UV and AFB1 damage was observed in the DNA fragments containing the E. coli gpt genes. The more efficient repair of UV damage was not due to a difference in the initial level of pyrimidine dimers as determined with a specific UV endonuclease. Consistent with previous observations using different methodology, repair of UV damage in the alpha sequences was found to occur at the same rate as that in the genome overall, while repair of AFB1 damage was deficient in alpha DNA. The preferential repair of damage in the gpt gene may be related to the functional state of the sequence and/or to alterations produced in the chromatin conformation by the integration of plasmid sequences carrying the gene.
Controlled-potential electrolysis of copper foil and graphite-coated copper foil in a nonaqueous 1 M LiPF6 in a ternary organic carbonate solvent

Abstract Controlled-potential electrolysis of battery-grade copper foil and graphite-coated copper foil electrodes in a typical lithium ion battery electrolyte (1 M LiPF 6 in propylene carbonate:ethylene carbonate:dimethyl carbonate [1:1:3 vol.]) was performed in order to construct Tafel plots to obtain values of the exchange current, i 0 , and transfer coefficient, α . The transfer coefficients of both electrodes were found to be small ( α = ∼ 0.25), which was consistent with an assumption of a dominant anodic process in the cell. At room temperature, the graphite-coated copper foil was found to have a higher exchange current than the copper foil. This can be explained by the intercalation of lithium ions into the graphite coating which increases the electron transfer rate. In the range of 0 °C to 50 °C, the exchange currents of both electrodes increased with temperature, but at different rates, while the transfer coefficients were not significantly affected by temperature.
Effects of particle-hole excitations in nuclear scattering☆

A simple model for the scattering of a particle by a nucleus A that takes into account the possibility of forming the compound states of the A + 1 particle target nucleus system is described. A situation in which the target states are adequately described by single-hole excitations and in which the compound states are formed by coupling the incident particle to these hole states is considered. (C.E.S.)
Dissatisfied Consumers: Who Gets Upset and Who Takes Action

Past studies of dissatisfied consumers have either examined what kinds of people get upset about business practices or what kinds of people complain about the way they have been treated in the marketplace. This article develops a new profile of the dissatisfied consumer by considering not only who gets upset about business practices, but also what they do about it. This profile appears more complete than profiles presented in earlier studies. Several important conclusions are offered concerning the nature of consumer dissatisfaction and consumer policy.
Mesorectal lymph node involvement and prognostic implications at total pelvic exenteration for gynecologic malignancies

Abstract Objectives. To determine the incidence and prognostic implications of positive mesorectal lymph nodes in patients undergoing total pelvic exenteration for recurrent gynecologic malignancies. Methods. We performed a retrospective chart review of all patients who had undergone total pelvic exenteration for a gynecologic malignancy between July 1992 and December 2003. Patient charts were reviewed for information regarding demographics, site of cancer, histology, pathology report, and time to recurrence. Results. Fifty-eight women had undergone total pelvic exenteration for recurrent gynecologic malignancies during the study period and 57 were available for analysis. Primary cancer site was as follows: cervix, 37 (65%); vagina, 8 (14%); vulva, 5 (9%); and uterine corpus, 7 (12%). In 30 patients (53%), the mesorectal lymph node status was pathologically evaluated. Of these 30 patients, 3 (10%) had positive mesorectal lymph nodes at the time of total pelvic exenteration. All 3 patients had rectal wall involvement (rectal submucosa, 2; rectal mucosa, 1), and all 3 patients recurred within 4 months of pelvic exenteration. The median time to recurrence after surgery was 2.4 months in those patients with positive mesorectal lymph nodes compared with 7.3 months in those with negative mesorectal lymph nodes ( P = 0.005). When individually adjusted for other prognostic variables, such as margin status, tumor grade, lymphovascular space involvement, primary cancer site, and histologic type, a finding of positive mesorectal lymph nodes was associated with a shorter time to recurrence of disease (all P Conclusions. Mesorectal lymph node involvement is a common finding at total pelvic exenteration, particularly in patients with rectal wall involvement. Patients with positive mesorectal lymph nodes appear to have a worse outcome with a shorter time to recurrence of disease.
Transient three-dimensional rayleigh and stoneley signal effects in thermoelastic solids

A transient 3D study of surface (Rayleigh) and interface (Stoneley) signals in fully-coupled thermolastic solids begins by obtaining analytical expressions for the zeroes of the corresponding Rayleigh/Stoneley functions that arise in the integral transforms of the solutions. The expressions locate the zeroes as functions of the temporal transform variable in a complex plane defined by a scalar resultant of spatial transform variables. Expressions for the change in surface temperature caused by the Rayleigh signal are then derived for cases of normal traction surface loading. By using long-time asymptotic results, the expressions can be obtained analytically, and they show that Rayleigh/Stoneley signal-induced thermal effects can be important. The long-time asymptotic results also show that Rayleigh/Stoneley zeroes reduce to the thermally-modified inverses of the classical (non-thermal) Rayleigh/Stoneley wave speeds. This result agrees with 2D predictions that can be made on the basis of low-frequency asymptotic harmonic wave studies. The long-time results are not restrictive, because time is scaled by a small, i.e., O(10−4)μm, thermoelastic characteristic length.
A Screening Matrix for an Initial Line of Inquiry.

The Screening for Understanding: Initial Line of Inquiry was designed to be used in conjunction with the child study team planning process for dealing with continuous problem behaviors prior to conducting a formal functional behavioral assessment. To conduct the initial line of inquiry a one-page reproducible screening matrix was used during child study team meetings to identify variables that may be influencing a child’s behavior and to devise interventions that can be used to increase prosocial target behaviors.
A Fixed Random Walk Method of potential computation in a conducting spherical shell

The Monte Carlo Methods have been applied with great success to the solution of electromagnetic problems in Cartesian and cylindrical coordinates systems, but have not been widely used in tspherical coordinates system. In this paper, we briefly show the use of a Fixed Random Walk Monte Carlo Method to compute potential distribution in a conducting spherical shell. The results obtained perfectly agreed with those obtained using explicit finite difference method. Also, the approach adopted to overcome singularities encountered in the co-latitude coordinates of the spherical system was highlighted.
Effect of a closed drug-delivery system on the incidence of nosocomial and catheter-related bloodstream infections in infants.

We conducted a prospective, cohort study at two affiliated level III neonatal intensive care units to evaluate the effect of a closed drug-delivery system on the incidence of nosocomial and catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) in infants. A total of 300 infants (n=150 at each site) were enrolled over a 4-year study period. There was no difference in the rate of CRBSI per 1000 catheter days between the two sites (16·2±39 vs. 8·9±24, P=0·054, 95% CI−14·8 to 0·13). Infants at site A (closed drug-delivery system) had a higher rate of infectious nosocomial respiratory complications per 100 hospital days than infants at site B (open delivery system) (1·1±2·2 vs. 0·5±1·5, P=0·009), however, there was no difference in the overall number of confirmed or suspected nosocomial infection events per patient between study sites. Logistic regression revealed that the number of additional peripheral catheters, gestational age and duration of parenteral nutrition all significantly contributed to the risk of developing one or more CRSBI. The closed drug-delivery system failed to reduce the incidence of CRBSI or overall rate of nosocomial infections in premature infants.
The Fungus Beauveria tenella

Beauveria tenella, an insect pathogen, grows well and sporulates freely in submerged culture. Enzymes that loosened bovine hair that were found in broth cultures were not produced in the presence of chitin, and substitution of peptone broth for peptone-glucose broth did not increase their concentration. Under certain conditions, oxalic acid was the main metabolic product in the peptone medium.
Evaluation of the TOPEX/POSEIDON dual-frequency ionosphere correction

The NASA altimeter on board TOPEX/POSEIDON exploits the difference in the delays of the Ku and C band radar pulses to estimate an ionosphere correction to the range measurement. The dependence of the ionosphere correction on ocean and satellite parameters is less than 1 cm. The standard deviation of the 1-s averaged ionosphere correction depends on the height of the ocean waves and ranges from 5 to 14 mm. The accuracy of the ionosphere correction is better than 1 cm at the 1 sigma confidence level. The ionosphere correction should be averaged over 140 km (20 s) along track in order to minimize its noise without sacrificing its accuracy. Ionosphere models must achieve an independent sample spacing of 900 km or less in order to allow a single-frequency altimeter to have an ionosphere correction comparable in accuracy to that of the NASA dual-frequency altimeter.
Phosphorescenzchemische Untersuchungen an Sulfaten

Kristallwasserhaltige Sulfatphosphore wurden auf den Einflus ihres Kristallwassergehalts auf das phosphorescenzchemische Verhalten dieser Stoffe hin untersucht. Es zeigte sich, das bei Abnahme des Kristallwassergehalts, die mit einer Anderung des Kristallgittertyps verbunden ist, eine Verschiebung der Kathodoluminescenzerscheinungen aus dem kurzwelligen in das langwellige Gebiet erfolgt. Es wurde ein luminescierendes System gefunden, das wahrend der Erregung eine andere Farbe aufwies als nach Abschalten der Erregerquelle. Die Untersuchungen ergaben eine neue Moglichkeit zur Anwendung der Phosphorescenzchemie im Hinblick auf den Nachweis von Mischungslucken bei Mischkristallreihen, sofern die entsprechenden Komponenten fur sich eine verschiedenfarbige Kathodoluminescenz zeigen.
Synthesis of Controllers for Time-Delay Systems Subject to Actuator Saturation and Disturbance

The problem of robust stabilization of a class of dynamic systems subject to time delays, external disturbance, and control saturation is addressed in this paper Delay-dependent sufficient conditions via LMI formulation are derived to guarantee that the solutions of the system considered are uniformly bounded. The problem of designing memoryless linear state feedback controllers such that the domain of safe admissible initial states is enlarged is formulated and solved as an optimization problem with LMI constraints. Finally, an example is included to illustrate the results developed in this paper.
Dopexamine prevents depression of mesenteric blood flow caused by positive end-expiratory pressure in rats

Background. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of two vasoactive agents, dopamine and dopexamine, on the depression of mesenteric blood flow caused by positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) during mechanical ventilation. Methods. Sprague-Dawley rats were mechanically ventilated with either no PEEP (control group) or increasing levels of PEEP (PEEP group) up to 20 cm H 2 O pressure. We evaluated PEEP's effect on blood pressure, cardiac output (CO), and the mesenteric microcirculation with a continuous infusion of 2.5 or 12.5 μg/kg/min dopamine or 1, 3, or 5 μg/kg/min dopexamine. Results. PEEP caused a 20% to 25% decrease in mean arterial pressure and a 30% decrease in CO at both 15 and 20 cm H 2 O of PEEP (all p < 0.05 versus baseline). Low dose dopamine partially corrected the decrease in CO to 16% and 21% below baseline at 15 and 20 cm H 2 O of PEEP, respectively (both p < 0.05 versus PEEP group) and partially ameliorated the depression of mesenteric blood flow associated with the application of PEEP. High dose dopamine did not positively affect either CO or mesenteric blood flow. Dopexamine had little effect on CO compared with dopamine. All three doses of dopexamine blocked the effect of PEEP on mesenteric blood flow (p < 0.05 compared with the PEEP group at all levels of PEEP, p < 0.05 compared with the low dose dopamine group at 15 and 20 cm H 2 O of PEEP). Conclusions. Dopexamine is superior to dopamine in protecting mesenteric blood flow in the face of increasing levels of PEEP.
RAG1-DNA Binding in V(D)J Recombination SPECIFICITY AND DNA-INDUCED CONFORMATIONAL CHANGES REVEALED BY FLUORESCENCE AND CD SPECTROSCOPY

The RAG1 and RAG2 proteins together constitute the nuclease that initiates the assembly of immunoglobulin and T cell receptor genes in a reaction known as V(D)J recombination. RAG1 plays a central role in recognition of the recombination signal sequence (RSS) by the RAG1/2 complex. To investigate the parameters governing the RAG1-RSS interaction, the murine core RAG1 protein (amino acids 377-1008) fused to a short Strep tag has been purified to homogeneity from bacteria. The Strep-RAG1 (StrRAG1) protein exists as a dimer at a wide range of protein concentrations (25-500 nM) in the absence of DNA and binds with reasonably high affinity and specificity (apparent K(D) = 41 nM) to the RSS. Both electrophoretic mobility shift assays and polarization anisotropy experiments indicate that only a single StrRAG1-DNA species exists in solution. Anisotropy decay measured by frequency domain spectroscopy suggests that the complex contains a dimer of StrRAG1 bound to a single DNA molecule. Using measurements of protein intrinsic fluorescence and circular dichroism, we demonstrate that StrRAG1 undergoes a major conformational change upon binding the RSS. Steady-state fluorescence and acrylamide quenching studies reveal that this conformational change is associated with a repositioning of intrinsic protein fluorophores from a hydrophobic to a solvent-exposed environment. RSS-induced conformational changes of StrRAG1 may influence the interaction of RAG1 with RAG2 and synaptic complex formation.
Physician decision-making--evaluation of data used in a computerized ICU.

Intensive Care Units (ICUs) have become an integral part of many hospitals throughout the world. Their concentration on treatment of critically ill patients requires pertinent physiologic data to be readily available for medical personnel so that quick and accurate decisions can be made in life-threatening situations. In recent years, development of instrumentation and techniques aided by computer technology has made an unprecedented amount of physiologic data available to clinicians in the ICU. Physiologic monitoring of all kinds originated and developed due to the feeling that more patient data would result in better patient care [4,5]. It was thought additional data would improve the timeliness and appropriateness of medical decisions, reduce the number of of oversights, and facilitate training of those specializing in intensive care [1]. However, so much data is becoming available that it will soon be difficult to assimilate and use it effectively [6]. Important factors may become obscured or forgotten in the midst of numerous less important ones [1]. Devices which permit monitoring of new physiologic signals have generated an exploration of additional indices and models for patient care that are constantly being evaluated and may or may not become permanent fixtures on the medical scene. All these factors cause confusion and uncertainty in both the medical community and the instrumentation industry [6].
Prediction of pneumatic conveying flow phenomena using commercial CFD software

Turbulent two-phase flow calculations were performed with a commercial CFD computer code referred to as FLOW3D to determine how well its predictions compare to available experimental data. Predicted results obtained for pressure drop and velocity variations in fully developed vertical upflows in circular pipes are in good qualitative agreement and are frequently in quantitative agreement with published data. Results obtained for vertical flow through orifices show the effect of orifice size and conveying air velocity on the rate of dispersion of particle ropes.
Impact of anal incontinence on psychosocial function and health-related quality of life

The relationship among the frequency of anal incontinence (AI), psychosocial factors, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was evaluated. Consecutive patients (n=280) completed a bowel symptom questionnaire, the Symptom Checklist 90—Revised (SCL 90-R), and an assessment of HRQOL. Group 1 had no incontinence, Group 2 had AI less than once per week, and Group 3 experienced AI more than once per week. Multivariate analyses were used to evaluate the relationship among symptoms, the SCL-90-R subscales, and HRQOL. Group 3 reported more frequent stools than the other groups. Significant psychological distress was present in both incontinent groups compared to Group 1 (P=0.002). A reduction in overall HRQOL was also seen in the incontinent groups. Depression was inversely correlated with QOL-Satisfaction and QOL-Ratings and positively correlated with QOL-Interference. AI was associated with impaired psychosocial function and decreased HRQOL. The frequency of AI was associated with increased HRQOL-Interference, but minimally with the degree of psychosocial impairment.
Comparative study of three proteomic quantitative methods, DIGE, cICAT, and iTRAQ, using 2D gel- or LC-MALDI TOF/TOF

A comparative study on the three quantitative methods frequently used in proteomics, 2D DIGE (difference gel electrophoresis), cICAT (cleavable isotope-coded affinity tags) and iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification), was carried out. DIGE and cICAT are familiar techniques used in gel- and LC-based quantitative proteomics, respectively. iTRAQ is a new LC-based technique which is gradually gaining in popularity. A systematic comparison among these quantitative methods has not been reported. In this study, we conducted well-designed comparisons using a six-protein mixture, a reconstituted protein mixture (BSA spiked into human plasma devoid of six abundant proteins), and complex HCT-116 cell lysates as the samples. All three techniques yielded quantitative results with reasonable accuracy when the six-protein or the reconstituted protein mixture was used. In DIGE, accurate quantification was sometimes compromised due to comigration or partial comigration of proteins. The iTRAQ method is more susceptible to errors in precursor ion isolation, which could be manifested with increasing sample complexity. The quantification sensitivity of each method was estimated by the number of peptides detected for each protein. In this regard, the global-tagging iTRAQ technique was more sensitive than the cysteine-specific cICAT method, which in turn was as sensitive as, if not more sensitive than, the DIGE technique. Protein profiling on HCT-116 and HCT-116 p53 -/- cell lysates displayed limited overlapping among proteins identified by the three methods, suggesting the complementary nature of these methods.
Glycans from streptococcal cell-walls: the molecular structure of an antigenic diheteroglycan of D-glucose and L-rhamnose from Streptococcus bovis

Abstract The monosaccharide sequence and glycosidic bond-types have been determined for an antigenic diheteroglycan of D -glucose and L -rhamnose from the cell wall of Streptococcus bovis , strain C3, by use of an integrated analytical scheme based on methylation analysis, periodate oxidation, oxidation with chromium trioxide, enzymic hydrolysis, and chemical degradation. A typical molecule of the glycan consists of a main chain of L -rhamnosyl residues and isomaltose side-chains, with 16 repetitions of the structure, -α- L -rhamnosyl-(1→3)-[α- D )-glucosyl-(1→6)-α- D -glucosyl-(1→2)]-α- L -rhamnosyl-(1→2)-α- L -rhamnosyl-, linked alternately by α- L -(1→3) and α- L -(1→2) linkages. The isomaltose side-chains of the glycan are the immunodeterminant groups. The new antigenic glycan is ideally suited for use in the preparation of anti-isomaltose antibodies, which should be of value in the detection of other antigens having isomaltose determinants.
Transient Ionization Effects in Silicon Induced by 48 MeV Electron Pulses

Transient radiation effects induced in silicon irradiated in the temperature range 90 to 300°K by 0.007 to 4.5 microsecond pulses of 48 MeV electrons were studied using the transient response of resistivity and Hall effect voltages as the measuring probes. Results are given for one ohm-cm phosphorus-doped n-type silicon and 10 to 100 ohm-cm n-type and p-type samples. In the case of one ohmcm silicon the results clearly show the actual buildup of excess electrons produced by ionization during the time the electron pulse is irradiating the sample. Moreover, the shape of the pulse during buildup is independent of temperature as long as the electron beam pulse is kept constant. Dependence of the number of injected excess carriers on the ionization intensity (total integrated electron flux in the pulse) was found to be linear up to excess carrier concentrations of ~ 1017 cm-3. The lifetime is found to increase linearly with injection implying that the recombination may be dominated by one defect energy level. In p-type silicon the transient Hall and conductivity voltages decay in ~ 20-50 jsec. Relatively long saturation times (~ 10 to 100 microseconds) are observed in the transient Hall and conductivity voltage following an electron burst. The saturation time decreases with dose accumulation in p-type and also decreases as the irradiation temperature of the sample (both n- and p-type) is decreased. Very similar effects also are observed in n-type silicon samples.
The Arabidopsis ELF3 gene regulates vegetative photomorphogenesis and the photoperiodic induction of flowering

Flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana is promoted by longday (LD) photoperiods such that plants grown in LD flower earlier, and after the production of fewer leaves, than plants grown in short-day (SD) photoperiods. The early-flowering 3 (elf3) mutant of Arabidopsis, which is insensitive to photoperiod with regard to floral initiation has been characterized elf3 mutants are also altered in several aspects of vegetative photomorphogenesis, including hypocotyl elongation. When inhibition of hypocotyl elongation was measured, elf3 mutant seedlings were less responsive than wild-type to all wavelengths of light, and most notably defective in blue and green light-mediated inhibition. When analyzed for the flowering-time phenotype, elf3 was epistatic to mutant alleles of the blue-light receptor encoding gene, HY4. However, when elf3 mutants were made deficient for functional phytochrome by the introduction of hy2 mutant alleles, the elf3 hy2 double mutants displayed the novel phenotype of flowering earlier than either single mutant while still exhibiting photoperiod insensitivity, indicating that a phytochrome-mediated pathway regulating floral initiation remains functional in elf3 single mutants. In addition, the inflorescences of one allelic combination of elf3 hy2 double mutants form a terminal flower similar to the structure produced by tfk1 single mutants. These results suggest that one of the signal transduction pathways controlling photoperiodism in Arabidopsis is regulated, at least in part, by photoreceptors other than phytochrome, and that the activity of the Arabidopsis inflorescence and floral meristem identity genes may be regulated by this same pathway.