cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Introducing the Journal of Scientific Innovation in Medicine

Although some may argue that there is no need for yet another journal in science and medicine, the unique Journal of Scientific Innovation in Medicine offers more than a publishing venue in this arena. The journal was founded to support several key initiatives in Graduate Medical Education (GME) as well as the movement toward open access publishing as a whole. First and foremost, the journal’s main mission is to support residents accomplish the required scholarly activity set by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) (“Common Program Requirements,” n.d.) and become a part of ‘GME Focus’ which now serves as a hub to all research articles published by residents and graduate medical education as a whole.
Assessment of Between-Hospital Variation in Readmission and Mortality After Cancer Surgical Procedures

Importance Although current federal quality improvement programs do not include cancer surgery, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and other payers are considering extending readmission reduction initiatives to include these and other common high-cost episodes. Objectives To quantify between-hospital variation in quality-related outcomes and identify hospital characteristics associated with high and low performance. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study obtained data through linkage of the California Cancer Registry to hospital discharge claims databases maintained by the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. All 351 acute care hospitals in California at which 1 or more adults underwent curative intent surgery between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2011, with analyses finalized July 15, 2018, were included. A total of 138 799 adults undergoing surgery for colorectal, breast, lung, prostate, bladder, thyroid, kidney, endometrial, pancreatic, liver, or esophageal cancer within 6 months of diagnosis, with an American Joint Committee on Cancer stage of I to III at diagnosis, were included. Main Outcomes and Measures Measures included adjusted odds ratios and variance components from hierarchical mixed-effects logistic regression analyses of in-hospital mortality, 90-day readmission, and 90-day mortality, as well as hospital-specific risk-adjusted rates and risk-adjusted standardized rate ratios for hospitals with a mean annual surgical volume of 10 or more. Results Across 138 799 patients at the 351 included hospitals, 8.9% were aged 18 to 44 years and 45.9% were aged 65 years or older, 57.4% were women, and 18.2% were nonwhite. Among these, 1240 patients (0.9%) died during the index admission. Among 137 559 patients discharged alive, 19 670 (14.3%) were readmitted and 1754 (1.3%) died within 90 days. After adjusting for patient case-mix differences, evidence of statistically significant variation in risk across hospitals was identified, as characterized by the variance of the random effects in the mixed model, for all 3 metrics (P Conclusions and Relevance Accounting for patient case-mix differences, there appears to be substantial between-hospital variation in in-hospital mortality, 90-day readmission, and 90-day mortality after cancer surgical procedures. Recognizing the multifaceted nature of hospital performance through consideration of mortality and readmission simultaneously may help to prioritize strategies for improving surgical outcomes.
Evaluation of patient‐focused interventions to promote colorectal cancer screening among New York State Medicaid managed care patients

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to evaluate an ongoing initiative to improve colorectal cancer (CRC) screening uptake in the New York State (NYS) Medicaid managed care population. METHODS Patients aged 50 to 75 years who were not up to date with CRC screening and resided in 2 NYS regions were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 cohorts: no mailed reminder, mailed reminder, and mailed reminder + incentive (in the form of a $25 cash card). Screening prevalence and the costs of the intervention were summarized. RESULTS In total, 7123 individuals in the Adirondack Region and 10,943 in the Central Region (including the Syracuse metropolitan area) were included. Screening prevalence in the Adirondack Region was 7.2% in the mailed reminder + incentive cohort, 7.0% in the mailed reminder cohort, and 5.8% in the no mailed reminder cohort. In the Central Region, screening prevalence was 7.2% in the mailed reminder cohort, 6.9% in the mailed reminder + incentive cohort, and 6.5% in the no mailed reminder cohort. The cost of implementing interventions in the Central Region was approximately 53% lower than in the Adirondack Region. CONCLUSIONS Screening uptake was low and did not differ significantly across the 2 regions or within the 3 cohorts. The incentive payment and mailed reminder did not appear to be effective in increasing CRC screening. The total cost of implementation was lower in the Central Region because of efficiencies generated from lessons learned during the first round of implementation in the Adirondack Region. More varied multicomponent interventions may be required to facilitate the completion of CRC screening among Medicaid beneficiaries.
RNA Second Messengers and Riboswitches: Relics from the RNA World?: Some riboswitches and their ligands may be relics of signaling networks used when organisms relied on RNA instead of DNA and proteins

Compelling evidence supports the hypothesis that modern cells descended from organisms whose components were made entirely of RNA. Scientists who helped formulate this “RNA World” hypothesis for the evolution of life have identified many characteristics of modern cells that strongly suggest RNA once ruled the planet. For example, the existence of self-cleaving and self-splicing ribozymes that cut and ligate RNAs demonstrates that at least some RNA-processing reactions can be catalyzed without the need for proteins. Also, the existence of ribosomal RNAs that build all genetically encoded proteins emphasizes the fact that today's organisms depend on RNA to carry out fundamental biochemical processes. Even many nucleotide-like coenzymes that are near universal in all life forms likely first appeared in RNA World organisms. The RNA World hypothesis is appealing because it helps explain the arcane characteristics of genetic and biochemical processes in modern cells. Why do all cells use ribosomal RNAs, and not protein enzymes, to stitch together amino acids to make polypeptides? Most likely, the ribosome's peptidyl transferase center is an evolutionary descendent of an ancient ribozyme that first catalyzed this reaction before protein enzymes evolved. Why do so many coenzymes, such as adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl), thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP), flavin mononucleotide (FMN), S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), molybdenum cofactor (Moco), and tetrahydrofolate (THF), all carry recognizable fragments of RNA nucleotides or derive from nucleotide precursors? Perhaps these compounds served as coenzymes for metabolic ribozymes of the RNA World, and they have been preserved as legacies from a time before protein enzymes existed.
A path forward for improved noncancer assessment: the truly adverse dose (the TAD)

Conventional noncancer assessment involves the computation of hazard quotients (HQ), simple ratios of an individual’s or a population’s estimated chemical intake, and a reference dose (the RfD) that is held to reflect a safe level of exposure. HQs > 1, indicating RfD exceedance, have considerable uncertainty for two reasons. It is not known that the critical effect of the animal study that supports the RfD is adverse (i.e., harmful), and it is unclear at what dose higher than an RfD, truly health compromising effects are triggered. Through methodically reviewing critical studies of the U.S. EPA’s IRIS database, we investigated the efficacy of the present assessment scheme with its considerable emphasis on RfD development. Aside from noted inconsistencies in reporting, and a substantial percentage of oral noncarcinogens having a less than ideal toxicological review source, our analysis found numerous instances of absent toxicological information to fuel HQ computation, with this largely a function of the dated nature of the supporting studies. In light of our analysis, we propose a recommended replacement scheme for noncancer assessment. In place of estimating the degree to which RfDs are exceeded, we recommend determining whether Truly Adverse Doses (TADs), to be newly developed, are approached.
Annals On Call - Reducing Diagnostic Error

In this episode of Annals On Call, Dr. Centor discusses the contributors to diagnostic error and strategies for reducing error with Dr. Hardeep Singh of the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medi...
Serious Illness Communication Training for Heart Failure and Cardiology Fellows

Introduction Integration of palliative care (PC) into management of patients with advanced heart disease (AHD) improves quality of life and is endorsed by consensus guidelines. Because of the limited availability of specialty PC providers, equipping cardiologists with communication skills for serious illness conversations is paramount to ensuring access to PC for all patients with AHD. Surveys have shown that fellows in training are frequently involved in late goals of care conversations with AHD patients, yet few receive training in communication skills. CardioTalk is a communication skills workshop created using the VitalTalk ( www.vitaltalk.org ) model, which has been shown to improve communication skills for oncology, nephrology, and geriatrics fellows. Hypothesis Adapting and implementing a serious illness communication skills curriculum for cardiology and heart failure fellows will be feasible, useful, and valued. Methods General cardiology and heart failure fellows participated in a communication skills workshop using a VitalTalk curriculum adapted for AHD. Sessions were taught by VitalTalk-trained educators, and were structured as a short didactic, including skills demonstration, followed by small-group practice with simulated patient actors. We used a structured “talking map” framework for late goals of care conversations, and specifically taught delivering serious news, responding to emotion, eliciting patient preferences and values, and making recommendations. A Likert scale-based questionnaire was used to assess fellows’ perceptions of the educational quality of the workshop, as well as the utility of skills learned. Results Twenty-three fellows participated. Overall educational quality of the workshop was rated highly, with an average score on the Likert scale of 4.8/5 (with 1 - “Poor” and 5 - “Excellent”). Likelihood of using the workshop skills in daily practice was also highly rated, with an average Likert score of 4.8/5 (with 1 - “Not likely at all” and 5 - “Very likely”). Likelihood of recommending this training to a colleague was rated on average 4.8/5 (1 - “Strongly disagree” and 5 - “Strongly Agree”). Qualitative responses suggested fellows took home the importance of responding to emotion rather than cognitive questions, and the utility of using a conversation framework. Fellows requested additional sessions, as well as training in even more complex cases. Conclusions Equipping cardiology and heart failure fellows with serious illness communication skills using the CardioTalk curriculum is feasible, effective and valued. Fellows were eager to learn, and felt their new skills would translate well into clinical practice.
UrsaPlex: An STR multiplex for forensic identification of North American black bear (Ursus americanus).

Abstract UrsaPlex is a forensic quality 5-dye multiplexed tetranucleotide STR and sex identification panel for individual genetic identification of North American black bears (Ursus americanus). The panel is validated for the identification of black bears involved in human-wildlife conflict events and poaching investigations. This is the first single multiplex panel composed solely of tetranucleotide STRs derived from black bear and bear-specific sex markers. UrsaPlex produces complete genetic profiles from as little as 78 pg of DNA template and has a probability of identity of 2.63 × 10−13. The panel has also been tested for utility in other ursids, and our results indicate with minor modifications, UrsaPlex should prove valuable in identification investigations involving these species as well.
Do youth consume more calories than they expended in youth sports leagues? An observational study of physical activity, snacks, and beverages

Objectives: Childhood obesity rates remain high. The youth sports environment is an opportunity to combat obesity. The purpose of this study was to determine the types of beverages/ snacks provided at youth sports and determine associations between energy consumption and expenditure. Methods: This cross-sectional study observed 4 different sports in a youth sports league (N = 189). The System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) was used to quantify physical activity. Food environmental scans were used to quantify caloric intake. A t-test was conducted to examine differences between energy consumption and expenditure. We conducted a separate analysis for games that did not offer snacks/beverages. Results: The average energy expenditure was 170.3 calories per game; males were more physically active than females. The average caloric content was 213.3 calories for games that did not offer snacks/beverages and average sugar provided was 26.4 grams per game. The majority of sugar came from sugar-sweetened beverages. Conclusions: Calorie intake was higher than expenditure. Children were consuming more sugar in one game than daily recommendations. Youth sports would benefit from an intervention aimed at the food environment.
What Law Must Lawyers Know

What constitutes the body of legal knowledge that every lawyer must possess? I used to know, or think I did, but no longer. I suspect no one else knows either. This difficult question is not just an intriguing theoretical matter but also an urgent, practical problem. Licensing regulators assume that minimal competence in any profession requires certain fundamental knowledge, skills, and abilities.Bar examiners must determine what knowledge, skills, and abilities are necessary for minimum competence as an attorney and then design tests and other requirements to attempt to align licensure with minimum competence. Today’s tangled attorney licensing puzzle cannot be solved without better answers to this foundational question: what law must every lawyer know?
Low Urologist Density Predicts High-Cost Surgical Treatment of Stone Disease.

Introduction and Objectives: Lack of access to urologic specialists is approaching crisis levels as the number of urologists is decreasing, while the demand for urologic care is increasing. The fin...
Marketing Web Trends: An Algorithm and Brand Equity Nowcasting Application: An Abstract

Web search data are a valuable source of marketing information. Previous studies have utilized Google Trends web search data for economic forecasting. We expand this work by providing an algorithm to combine and aggregate search volume data, so that the resulting data are both consistent over time and consistent between data series. We give a brand equity example, where Google Trends is used to create several brand equity indices of 100 top ranked brands. Monthly Google Trends data are collected from 2008–2017 for each of the 100 brands. We utilize our algorithm to combine the data and ensure that they are consistent, both between the different brand series and over time. The indices are compared with the widely used Interbrand index and the results show good face validity.
Oversharing Is Not Caring: How CNAME Cloaking Can Expose Your Session Cookies

In modern web ecosystem, online businesses often leverage third-party web analytics services to gain insights into the behavior of their users. Due to the recent privacy enhancements in major browsers that restrict third-party cookie usage for tracking, these businesses were urged to disguise third-party analytics infrastructure as regular subdomains of their websites [3]. The integration technique referred to as CNAME cloaking allows the businesses to continue monitoring user activity on their websites. However, it also opens up the possibility for severe security infractions as the businesses often share their session cookies with the analytics providers, thus putting online user accounts in danger. Previous work has raised privacy concerns with regards to subdomain tracking and extensively studied the drawbacks of widely used privacy-enhancing browser extensions. In this work, we demonstrate the impact of deploying CNAME cloaking along with lax cookie access control settings on web user security. To this end, we built a system that automatically detects the presence of the disguised third-party domains as well as the leakage of the first-party cookies. Using our system, we identified 2,139 web analytics domains that can be conveniently added to commonly deployed hostbased blacklists. Concerningly, we also found that 27 out of 90 highly sensitive web services (e.g., banks) that we analyzed expose session cookies to the web analytics services.
The Spectra of Single Reactants in Homogeneous Turbulence

A closure is proposed which is appropriate for a numerical study of the spectrum of a single, chemically-reactive species in turbulence. The objective is to predict the effect of moderate rate reaction kinetics on scalar spectra in situations in which the fluid density is not significantly affected by the reaction. The method of approach is to use the Fourier transform of the two-point scalar probability density function as the primary independent variable whose evolution from an initial state is computed. Two closure approximations are needed, one for turbulent transport and one for molecular diffusion. We propose an EDONM-style spectral closure to represent the former and a cluster expansion closure due to Lundgren for the latter. These two closures are combined to preserve almost all realizability constraints of the system except the coincidence property of two-point density functions. Preliminary calculations have been made in the no-reaction limit to reproduce previous spectral results. Computations of linear reaction kinetic spectra are under way with the expectation that the results can be compared with previous flux cascade spectral predictions. More general reaction kinetic situations will also be investigated.
Fundamental studies of the sampling process in an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer: III. Monitoring the ion beam

Abstract The influence of gas dynamic and electrostatic forces on the ion beam that passes through an ICP-MS interface has been studied. Results from these experiments show that electrostatic forces overpower gas-kinetic processes in the molecular-flow regions of the interface. Because ion movement in these regions cannot be predicted by gas dynamic theory alone, optimal skimming conditions must be determined on an empirical basis. Those parameters that were found to influence ion-beam formation are first-stage pressure, solvent load, and inner-gas flow rate. Also studied was the influence of atomic mass on dispersion within the ion beam. Elements of mass greater than the bath-gas species (argon) were found to travel with the ion beam, whereas lighter elements tended to be dispersed off axis. Importantly, however, dispersion of these lighter ions could be eliminated by reducing ion-beam space charge
A Unified Bias-Variance Decomposition for Zero-One and Squared Loss

The bias-variance decomposition is a very useful and widely-used tool for understanding machine-learning algorithms. It was originally developed for squared loss. In recent years, several authors have proposed decompositions for zero-one loss, but each has significant shortcomings. In particular, all of these decompositions have only an intuitive relationship to the original squared-loss one. In this paper, we define bias and variance for an arbitrary loss function, and show that the resulting decomposition specializes to the standard one for the squared-loss case, and to a close relative of Kong and Dietterich’ s (1995) one for the zero-one case. The same decomposition also applies to variable misclassification costs. We show a number of interesting consequences of the unified definition. For example, Schapire et al.’ s (1997) notion of “margin” can be expressed as a function of the zero-one bias and variance, making it possible to formally relate a classifier ensemble’s generalization error to the base learner’ s bias and variance on training examples. Experiments with the unified definition lead to further insights.
Spaces of bivariate spline functions over triangulation

We consider the spaces of bivariate Cμ-splines of degree k defined over arbitrary triangulations of a polygonal domain. We get an explicit formula for the dimension of such spaces when k≥3μ+2 and construct a local basis for them. The dimension formula is valid for any polygonal domain even it is complex connected, and the formula is sharp since it evaluates the lower-bound which was given by Schumaker in [11].
Heat transfer on D Zero Run2b stave

The temperature distribution on the silicon sensors and the cooling system performance for the D0 Run2b stave have been investigated. The tests have been carried out on a carbon fiber skin only stave, with and without heat input at two different chiller temperatures (-9.1 C and -19.1 C). For a bulk temperature of -14.5 C and a 14W total heat load, the stave surface has reached a peak temperature of +3.3 C, localized under the readout chip. The ''hot spot'' in the hybrid region extends about twice the length of the hybrid with an average temperature of about -4.6 C over this area. Beyond this the stave surface has a uniform temperature of -11.5 C. The film coefficient of the coolant has been calculated to be about 650W/m{sup 2}K using these measurements. A finite element analysis has confirmed the analytical calculations, providing a temperature profile consistent with what has been experimentally observed. A further finite element study has been performed in order to predict the temperature distribution in the actual stave design (46mm wide; kapton core skin; 950 {micro}m thick hybrid; 7.2mm x 1.8mm tube inner size; -15 C bulk temperature; 700W/m{sup 2}K film coefficient). The silicon temperature ranges frommore » about -10.8 C far from the readout chips to about 0 C under them, the temperature drop between the sensor and the PEEK inner wall being 3 C and 10.5 C respectively.« less
Investment Performance Comparison Between Roth And Traditional Individual Retirement Accounts

With the recent introduction of the Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA) along with a significantly improved Traditional IRA, there has been considerable interest in comparing the performance of these investment vehicles. Some confusion regarding these comparisons has evolved. In this paper we show that this confusion may be attributed to scale and tax differences between the two investment vehicles. We adjust for these differences by focusing on the after-tax rate-of-return on investment for each IRA vehicle. We find that performance depends crucially on the relationship between an individual’s tax rates at the time of investment and at the time of withdrawal.
Auroral Phenomena: Associated with auroras in complex ways are an extraordinary number of other physical phenomena.

The array of auroral phenomena involves all the basic types of physical phenomena: heat, light, sound, electricity and magnetism, atomic physics, and plasma physics. The uncontrollability, the unreproducibility, and the sheer enormity of the phenomena will keep experimentalists and theorists busy but unsatisfied for many years to come. The greatest challenge in this field of research is an adequate experimentally verifiable theory of the local energization of auroral particle fluxes. Once that is achieved, there is every likelihood that the multitude of correlations between auroral phenomena can be understood and appreciated. Until that time, however, such correlations are to be regarded like icebergs—the parts that can be seen are only a small fraction of the whole phenomenon, and it is the large unseen parts that can be dangerous to theorists and experimentalists alike.
Spatial-Temporal Access Control for E-health Services

The transformation of healthcare from human-based to online services can expose e-health to the security threats as other online applications. The identities of legitimate e-health users need to be verified cautiously before the access privileges are granted. Since each treatment service of a patient occurs within a time interval and specific location, we propose to make use of time as well as the location as additional parameters in verifying that legitimate users are involved in services. In particular, we develop and implement a prototype of the Spatial-Temporal Access Control to authenticate and authorize users of e-health services, termed STAC-eHS. STAC-eHS is beneficial for e-health services since it allows system users to define the spatial and/or temporal constraints for e-health authentication and authorization decisions, thus, improving e-health system security and protection of patient’s privacy. We also perform experiments to evaluate STAC-eHS. The results show that STAC-eHS increases the accuracy of the detection of illegitimate users in an e-health system by about 3-12%, as compared to traditional RBAC, with a small delay of less than two seconds.
Simulation of tropical cyclone impacts to the U.S. power system under climate change scenarios

The links between climate change and tropical cyclone behavior are frequently studied but still uncertain. This uncertainty makes planning for climate change a difficult task. Here we focus on one area of climate-related risk: the impact of tropical cyclones on United States power systems, and we evaluate this risk through the simulation of impacts to the power system under 12 plausible scenarios in which climate change may affect tropical cyclone intensity, frequency, and location. We use a sensitivity analysis based approached grounded in the literature rather than directly simulating from specific GCM output due to the high degree of uncertainty in both the climate models and the climate-hurricane relationship. We show how changes in tropical cyclone activity influence extreme wind speeds, probability of power outages, and the proportion of people without power. While climate change and its impacts are often discussed globally, this work provides information at a much more local scale. The sensitivity of an individual area can be assessed, and the information presented here can be incorporated into planning and mitigation strategies for power systems faced with an uncertain future in a changing climate.
Foraging ecomorphology within North American flycatchers and a test of concordance with southern African species

In both the Old and New Worlds, independent clades of sit-and-wait insectivorous birds have evolved. These independent radiations provide an excellent opportunity to test whether the relationships between morphology and ecology are concordant among different communities of flycatchers. First, with canonical correlation analysis, I test for significant relationships between foraging behavior and morphology in North American (NA) and southern African (SA) flycatcher communities. Second, using ordination and analysis of covariance, I test for concordant ecomorphological relationships between the localities. Also, I accounted for phylogeny to see if observed patterns were adaptive. Morphology predicted the foraging behavior in both NA and SA flycatchers. Smaller bill features and longer legs are related to perching and attacking prey items near or on the ground. Larger bill features and short legs are associated with flycatching behavior and high, open perches. The ANCOVA reveals concordance in their ecomorphological relationships, but only in a single ecomorphological axis. The lack of complete concordance may be due to differences in habitat or broad scale historical influences between NA and SA flycatchers.
"Helping": Several Formalizations

Much recent work in the theory of computational complexity ([Me], [FR]. [SI]) is concerned with establishing “the complexity” of various recursive functions, as measured by the time or space requirements of Turing machines which compute them. In the above work, we also observe another phenomenon: knowing the values of certain functions makes certain other functions easier to compute than they would be without this knowledge. We could say that the auxiliary functions “help” the computation of the other functions. For example, we may conjecture that the “polynomial-complete” problems of Cook [C] and Karp [K] and Stockmeyer [S2], such as satisfiability of propositional formulas or 3-colorability of planar graphs, in fact require time proportional to n log 2 n to be computed on a deterministic Turing machine. Then since the time required to decide if a planar graph with n nodes is 3-colorable can be lowered to a polynomial in n if we have a precomputed table of the satisfiable formulas in the propositional calculus, it is natural to say that the satisfiability problem “helps” the computation of the answers to the 3-coloring problem. Similar remarks may be made for any pair of polynomial-complete problems. As a further illustration, Meyer and Stockmeyer [MS] have shown that, for a certain alphabet Σ, recognition of the set of regular expressions with squaring which are equivalent to Σ* requires Turing machine space c n for some constant c , on an infinite set of arguments. We also know that this set of regular expressions, which we call RSQ, may actually be recognized in space d n for some other constant d. Theorem 6.2 in [LMF] implies that there is some problem (not necessarily an interesting one) of complexity approximately equal to that of RSQ, which does not reduce the complexity of RSQ below c n . It does not “help” the computation of RSQ.
Pursuing an engineering doctorate: Exploring the role of the combined BS/MS program

The past several years have seen an increase in hybrid degree programs for upper-class engineering students. These programs have many names, such as dual degree, five year program, and combined BS/MS programs. Structurally, these programs take many forms as well, including: support programs, professional development seminars, and opportunities for students to take graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Various universities utilize these programs differently, attempting to increase underrepresented populations in graduate school, providing a graduate option for students who may not otherwise attend graduate school, or targeting students who might make excellent candidates for doctoral study. While universities have assessed their programs individually, there remains a need to develop a broader understanding of the motivation, recruiting practices, and purpose of these programs. In this paper we present a content analysis of public descriptions of existing programs, specifically with respect to their stated purpose and goals with the aim of contextualizing the variety of programs nationally.
Transfer-induced transport in slightly damped nuclear reactions

Abstract The theory of transfer-induced transport is considered for fairly distant dinuclear configurations. Due to the presence of a potential barrier between the two nuclear potential wells, the transferred nucleons are unlikely to have much tangential motion. Therefore the radial friction coefficient is enhanced and the relationship between energy loss and angular momentum is modified (towards better agreement with data). The limit of quasi-elastic transfer reactions is considered and it is shown that in peripheral reactions the coupling between intrinsic and relative motion is ineffective (as data indicate), while this coupling may be tested in gentle head-on reactions. The situation where the actual number of elementary transfers is counted is also addressed.
Phloem Loading of Sucrose pH Dependence and Selectivity

Autoradiographic, plasmolysis, and 14C-metabolite distribution studies indicate that the majority of exogenously supplied 14C-sucrose enters the phloem directly from the apoplast in source leaf discs of Beta vulgaris. Phloem loading of sucrose is pH-dependent, being markedly inhibited at an apoplast pH of 8 compared to pH 5. Kinetic analyses indicate that the apparent Km of the loading process increases at the alkaline pH while the maximum velocity, Vmax, is pH-independent. The pH dependence of sucrose loading into source leaf discs translates to phloem loading in and translocation of sucrose from intact source leaves. Studies using asymmetrically labeled sucrose 14C-fructosyl-sucrose, show that sucrose is accumulated intact from the apoplast and not hydrolyzed to its hexose moieties by invertase prior to uptake. The results are discussed in terms of sucrose loading being coupled to the co-transport of protons (and membrane potential) in a manner consistent with the chemiosmotic hypothesis of nonelectrolyte transport.
LOCALIZATION AND SPECIATION OF CHROMIUM IN SUBTERRANEAN CLOVER USING XRF, XANES, AND EPR SPECTROSCOPY

Optimization of phytoremediation and assessment of potential health hazards from metals in the environment requires an understanding of absorption, localization, and transport of the target metal by plants. The objectives of this study were to localize Cr and determine the oxidation state and possible complexation mode of Cr in intact plant tissue by means of XANES, synchrotron XRF microprobe spectroscopy, and EPR spectroscopy. Subterranean clover (Trifolium brachycalycinum) was grown hydroponically with Cr(VI) (0.04−2.0 mmol L-1) and compared with plants grown without Cr and with inorganic Cr(III) and various Cr(III)−organic sources. The uptake, translocation, and form of Cr in the plant were dependent on the form and concentration of supplied Cr. Chromium was found predominately in the +3 oxidation state, regardless of the Cr source supplied to the plant, though at high Cr(VI) treatment concentrations, Cr(VI) and Cr(V) were also observed. At low Cr(VI) concentrations, the plant effectively reduced the t...
Extreme ultra-violet movie camera for imaging microsecond time scale magnetic reconnection

An ultra-fast extreme ultra-violet (EUV) movie camera has been developed for imaging magnetic reconnection in the Caltech spheromak/astrophysical jet experiment. The camera consists of a broadband Mo:Si multilayer mirror, a fast decaying YAG:Ce scintillator, a visible light block, and a high-speed visible light CCD camera. The camera can capture EUV images as fast as 3.3 × 106 frames per second with 0.5 cm spatial resolution. The spectral range is from 20 eV to 60 eV. EUV images reveal strong, transient, highly localized bursts of EUV radiation when magnetic reconnection occurs.
Successfully Serving Students With ASD in the Schools: Let the Evidence Be Your Guide

The caseload of a speech-language pathologist in the school setting consists of students with an array of abilities. The number of students with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is on the rise according to the most recent statistics: 1/110 children have an ASD (Centers for Disease Control, 2009). The diagnoses that fall under the ASD umbrella include autism, Asperger's syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). Given these statistics, school clinicians will see an increase of students with ASD on their caseloads. Ways to effectively address the needs of children who fall under the ASD diagnostic umbrella will be discussed.
Studies on the mechanism of action of UDP-D-glucose dehydrogenase from beef liver.

Abstract As a first step towards determining the mechanism of action of UDP-Glc dehydrogenase, the fate of the C-6 hydrogen atoms of UDP-Glc was studied. The data presented indicate that, in the NAD-linked conversion of UDP-Glc to UDP-GlcA, both C-6 hydrogen atoms of UDP-Glc are directly transferred to NAD.
High-order numerical solutions to Bellman's equation of optimal control

In this paper we develop a numerical method to compute high-order approximate solutions to Bellman's dynamic programming equation that arises in the optimal regulation of discrete-time nonlinear control systems. The method uses a patchy technique to build Taylor polynomial approximations defined on small domains which are then patched together to create a piecewise-smooth approximation. Using the values of the computed cost function as the step-size, levels of patches are constructed such that their radial boundaries are level sets of the computed cost functions and their lateral boundaries are invariants sets of the closed-loop dynamics. To minimize the computational effort, an adaptive scheme is used to determine the number of patches on each level depending on the relative error of the computed solutions.
Role of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus in neuroendocrine responses to daylength in the golden hamster

Abstract Daylength regulates reproduction in golden hamsters through a mechanism which involves the pineal indoleamine, melatonin. Retinal input to the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus (SCN) and sympathetic innervation of the pineal are critical to the inhibition of reproduction by short photoperiods. Since the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) receives extensive input from the SCN in the rat, and may influence autonomic function via its brainstem and spinal cord projections, we studied the role of this nucleus in photoperiodically induced gonadal regression in the hamster. Bilateral electrolytic destruction of either the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) or suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus completely blocked testicular regression induced by either blinding or exposure to short days (10L:14D). Lesions in the retrochiasmatic hypothalamus (RCA) which may have interrupted the pathway of previously identified efferents from the SCN to the PVN were also effective in preventing short day-induced gonadal regression. Pineal melatonin content was measured in intact and lesioned hamsters sacrificed 3–5 h before lights on, at the time of the expected nocturnal peak. While SCN and RCA lesions significantly reduced pineal melatonin content, PVN lesions were still more effective in this regard. We conclude that the hamster's neuroendocrine response to photoperiod is mediated by neural pathways which include retinohypothalamic input to the SCN and efferents from this nucleus to the PVN which travel dorsocaudally through the retrochiasmatic area of the hypothalamus. Effectiveness of lesions restricted to the PVN suggests that direct projections from the PVN to spinal autonomic centers convey photoperiodic information which regulates pineal, and hence gonadal, function.
Interstate migration of college freshmen

We examine the economic determinants of interstate migration of college-bound freshmen, using state-level data. Our analysis provides a robust explanation of the striking differences among the U.S. states in out-migration of college-bound freshmen. States that provide more educational choices and higher quality education services, charge lower tuition, have broad-based merit scholarship programs and have lower income levels tend to retain a higher percentage of their college-bound freshmen at home.
Magnetoresistance anomalies in (Ga,Mn)As epilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

We report the observation of anomalies in the longitudinal magnetoresistance of tensile-strained ${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Mn}}_{x}\mathrm{As}$ epilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Magnetoresistance measurements carried out in the planar geometry (magnetic field parallel to the current density) reveal ``spikes'' that are antisymmetric with respect to the direction of the magnetic field. These anomalies always occur during magnetization reversal, as indicated by a simultaneous change in sign of the anomalous Hall effect. The data suggest that the antisymmetric anomalies originate in anomalous Hall effect contributions to the longitudinal resistance when domain walls are located between the voltage probes. This interpretation is reinforced by carrying out angular sweeps of $\stackrel{P\vec}{H}$, revealing an antisymmetric dependence on the helicity of the field sweep.
The synthesis of novel macrocyclic multidentate compounds from dioxodioic acids

A series of novel macrocyclic multidentate crown compounds have been prepared from a series of dioxodioic acids. The dioxodioic acids were prepared by treating various oligoethylene glycols or amines with maleic, succinic, citraconic, and glutaric anhydrides. The crown compounds were then synthesized from the dioxodioic acid chlorides obtained from the diacids and various oligoethylene glycols or ethylene diamine. The following macrocyclic compounds have been prepared: 1,4,9,12-tetraoxacyclohexadecane-5,8,13,16-tetrone (1); 1,4,7,10,15,18-hexaoxacyclodocosane-11,14,19,22-tetrone (2); 1,4-dioxa-9,12-diazacyclohexadecane-5,8,13,16-tetrone (3); 1,4,7-trioxa-12,15-diazacyclonoadecane-8,11,16,19-tetrone (4); 1,4,7,10-tetraoxa-15,18-diazacyclodocosane-11,14,19,22-tetrone (5); 4-benzyl-1,7,12,15-tetraoxa-4-azacyclonona-decane-8,11,16,19-tetrone (6); 1,4,7,12,15,18-hexaoxacyclodocosa-9,20-diene-8,11,19,22-tetrone(7); and 9,21-dimethyl-1,4,7,12,15,18-hexaoxacyclodocosa-9,20-diene-8,11,19,22-tetrone (8) (Figure 1).
The correlation of pretreatment transurethral resection of prostatic cancer with tumor dissemination and disease‐free survival: A univariate and multivariate analysis

A multivariate Cox's hazard function analysis was performed on the prognostic variables selected from 240 patients with localized carcinoma of the prostate who received external beam radiotherapy to analyze the association between the method of biopsy and disease-free survival. The patients received 4500 cGy to the pelvis followed by a 2-week treatment rest and then an additional 2000 cGy to the reduced prostatic volume. Median follow-up was 4 years (range, 1-9 years). The 5-year actuarial local control rate was 91%. There was no difference in local control relative to the method of biopsy (needle biopsy or transurethral resection of the prostate [TURP]). The 5-year actuarial risks of metastases were 28% and 48% for the needle biopsy and TURP groups, respectively (P less than 0.01). The 5-year disease-free survival for the needle biopsy and TURP groups were 55% and 42%, respectively (P less than 0.05). This difference maintained statistical significance for Stage C and Grade III tumors. A multivariate analysis demonstrated that "method of biopsy" was the third most powerful variable after serum acid phosphatase level and modified Broders' grade in predicting disease-free survival. Patients who had TURP had an almost twofold higher relative risk of disease progression than those who had needle biopsy. This study established the correlation of the method of biopsy with a lower probability of disease-free survival over and above the information obtained from the clinical stage, histologic grade, presence or absence of symptoms of obstruction, acid phosphatase level, and lymph node status. The association of TURP with tumor dissemination is discussed with reference to the mechanism of metastasis formation and prevention.
Acoustic telemetry for ocean acoustic tomography

Very low data rate burst telemetry for long-range deep-ocean applications is discussed. Energy efficiency, propagation coherence, and waveform coding, together with transmitter constraints, influenced the design of proposed buoy-to-buoy and buoy-to-shore systems.
ROSAT observations of the luminous X-ray sources in M51

Our analysis of a 24 ks ROSAT Position Sensitive Proprtional Counter (PSPC) image of the interacting galaxies NGC 5194 (M51) and NGC 5195 shows that X-ray emission is distributed across the whole of NGC 5194. In addition to the diffuse emission and a bright nuclear region, eight individual sources were detected with 0.2-2.2 keV luminosities from 5 to 29 x 10(exp 38) ergs/s, more than 10 times higher than typical bright Galactic X-ray sources. The energy distribution of the luminous sources can be characterized by bremsstrahlung spectra with temperatures around 1 keV and low-energy absorption exceeding that expected from our Galaxy. Two sources lie in an inner spiral arm, while five lie along the outer edges of the outer spiral arms. Four sources (R1, R2, R4, R6) lie in or near regions of recent star formation as indicated by H II regions or CO emission from molecular clouds. However, for three of the X-ray sources which fall on the outer edge of the spiral arms (R3, R7, and R8), there is little or no associated CO or H alpha emission. We discuss the origin of the luminous X-ray sources as possibly arising from either massive black holes in binary star systems, supernova remnants, or hot gas associated with star forming regions.
The Transcription Factor NF‐κB Mediates Increases in Calcium Currents and Decreases in NMDA‐ and AMPA/Kainate‐Induced Currents Induced by Tumor Necrosis Factor‐α in Hippocampal Neurons

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) is a cytokine rapidly produced in the brain in response to vigorous neuronal activity and tissue injury. TNF alpha may protect neurons against excitotoxic and oxidative insults by a mechanism involving activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB. Whole-cell perforated patch clamp recordings in cultured rat hippocampal neurons showed that long-term treatment (24-48 h) with TNF alpha increases Ca2+ current density; pharmacological analysis indicated a major increase in current through L-type voltage-dependent calcium channels. Long-term treatment with TNF alpha caused a decrease in currents induced by glutamate, NMDA, AMPA, and kainate. Shorter exposures to TNF alpha (acute; 2 h) did not alter Ca2+ current or glutamate receptor agonist-induced currents. Ceramide, an intracellular messenger that activates the transcription factor NF-kappaB, mimicked the actions of TNFs on Ca2+ current density and currents induced by glutamate receptor agonists. Cotreatment with kappaB decoy DNA abolished the effects of TNF alpha on Ca2+ current and excitatory amino acid-induced currents, demonstrating a requirement for NF-kappaB activation in the actions of TNF alpha. Neurons pretreated with TNF alpha exhibited increased intracellular Ca2+ concentrations following membrane depolarization but reduced intracellular Ca2+ concentration responses to excitatory amino acids, compared with neurons in untreated control cultures or cultures cotreated with kappaB decoy DNA. These findings suggest important roles for the transcription factor NF-kappaB in modulation of voltage-dependent calcium channels and glutamate receptors and the many physiological and pathophysiological processes in which these ion channels are involved. Such signaling mechanisms may be particularly important in injury settings such as ischemia or trauma, where TNF alpha expression is increased and NF-kappaB is activated.
The unsteady performance of a centrifugal compressor with different diffusers

AbstractUnsteady flow in turbomachinery may be due to turbulence, wakes (rotor-stator interaction), inlet distortion, rotating stall or surge. It is undesired, because it may lead to narrow operation range, poor efficiency and blade failure due to vibration. Four low solidity vaned diffusers (LSVDs) together with one conventional vaned diffuser and two vaneless diffusers were tested downstream of the same impeller for the purpose of understanding the unsteady performance (stall and surge characteristics) of each diffuser and the performance relative to each other. This paper is a complementary paper to previous work where the design and overall and component performances of eight LSVDs have been reported.