cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of time and storage temperature on survival of verticillium dahliae microsclerotia in dried potato stem tissue

Verticillium wilt (Vw) is a widespread and significant disease of potato (Solatium tuberosum). It is caused by the soil-borne fungiVerticillium dahliae andVerticillium albo-atrum. Host plant resistance is a promising method of Vw control. Culture-based methods that quantify the pathogen in host stem tissue are often used for Vw resistance screening. Either stem sap or dried stem tissue can be plated to measure pathogen populations in stems of plants that have been exposed to the pathogen. This study evaluated the effect of storage time and temperature on the survival ofV. dahliae microsclerotia in dried stem tissue. In both years of the study, the number of colony forming units (cfu) in stem samples did not change dramatically for the first six months in storage, regardless of storage temperature (-80 C, -20 C, 4 C, 23 C). After that, cfu means decreased sharply at all temperatures. Long-term survival of microsclerotia was lowest in samples stored at room temperature. These data indicate that stem samples can be stored for processing for several months. If processing is to occur after that, then samples should be stored at 4C.
Cultural Basis of Sport Anglers' Response to Reduced Lake Trout Catch Limits

Abstract The cultural domain of southeastern Wisconsin anglers along Lake Michigan was assessed from responses to a state-proposed reduction in the daily allowable catch of lake trout Salvelinus namaycush. The study's baseline was an extensive random survey in 1980 of the area's anglers with respect to Lake Michigan fishery resources. The 1984 lake trout issue was addressed by a restudy involving a small dimensional subsample of 1980 respondents and was cross-validated with ethnographic interviews. The findings suggest that anglers have responded over time to the state's policy proposals in a manner consistent with a stable value system that is not seriously masked by changes in short-term attitudes about the fishery. The results further indicate that, once a good cultural data base is established, the sociocultural impacts of proposed fishery policies can be evaluated inexpensively by a restudy approach.
Making Change: Can Ethnographic Research about Women Makers Change the Future of Computing?

Two ethnographers from different parts of the same technology company set out to explore the role of women and girls in the worldwide maker movement. We wanted to know who is currently participating in the maker phenomenon, how they became makers, what motivates them to continue making, what kinds of things they make, and what their hopes are for the future. Most importantly, we investigated why women are underrepresented in the realm of tech making with the explicit goal of being change agents and triggers of transformation both within our company and in the broader technology landscape.
Provenance-Based Debugging and Drill-Down in Data-Oriented Workflows

Panda (for Provenance and Data) is a system that supports the creation and execution of data-oriented workflows, with automatic provenance generation and built-in provenance tracing operations. Workflows in Panda are arbitrary a cyclic graphs containing both relational (SQL) processing nodes and opaque processing nodes programmed in Python. For both types of nodes, Panda generates logical provenance -- provenance information stored at the processing-node level -- and uses the generated provenance to support record-level backward tracing and forward tracing operations. In our demonstration we use Panda to integrate, process, and analyze actual education data from multiple sources. We specifically demonstrate how Panda's provenance generation and tracing capabilities can be very useful for workflow debugging, and for drilling down on specific results of interest.
A mixed finite element method for the stokes problem: an acceleration-pressure formulation

The existing finite element methods [6,9,11] for the Stokes equation lead to a saddle-point problem. For removing certain restrictions on the elements and improving the accuracy, this paper develops a new method: the Stokes equation is treated as a first order linear system. Using a least squares method to minimize the defect in the differential operator, we find that the result converges asymptotically to optimal order in Sobolev spaces. In the 2-D case, if the domain is subdivided into regular triangles and the piecewise linear functions in the space H^1 are chosen to be trial functions for both velocity and pressure, then we have error estimates @?p - p^h@?:"0 + @?u - u^h@?"0 =< Ch^2
Receptive Field Reorganization in Dorsal Column Nuclei During Temporary Denervation

Altered sensory input can result in the reorganization of somatosensory maps in the cerebral cortex and thalamus, but the extent to which reorganization occurs at lower levels of the somatosensory system is unknown. In cat dorsal column nuclei (DCN), the injection of local anesthetic into the receptive fields of DCN neurons resulted in the emergence of a new receptive field in all 13 neurons studied. New receptive fields emerged rapidly (within minutes), sometimes accompanied by changes in adaptation rates and stimulus selectivity, suggesting that the new fields arose from the unmasking of previously ineffective inputs. Receptive field reorganization was not imposed by descending cortical inputs to the DCN, because comparable results were obtained in 10 additional cells when the somatosensory and motor cortex were removed before recording. These results suggest that mechanisms underlying somatotopic reorganization exist at the earliest stages of somatosensory processing. Such mechanisms may participate in adaptive responses of the nervous system to injury or continuously changing sensory stimulation.
Possible role of the kidney in regulation of normal blood pressure in the dog

Conclusions(1) There was no significant difference between the decreases in blood pressure shown by nephrectomized and sham nephrectomized dogs following splanchnicotomy or chordotomy. (2) These results lend no support to the possibility that the kidney plays a specific role in the regulation of normal blood pressure in the dog.
Interventional Neuroradiology Adjuncts and Alternatives in Patients with Head and Neck Vascular Lesions

Vascular lesions of the head and neck can result from a variety of neoplastic and traumatic conditions that may cause local neurologic symptoms or may compromise the carotid or vertebral arteries, leading to ischemic deficits. Management of lesions involving vascular structures at the skull base may require a temporary balloon occlusion tolerance test or endovascular transarterial embolization as part of the preoperative management. Endovascular techniques can also be used as a salvage measure for severe head and neck bleeding and can assist with the management of vascular injury occurring in the operative or perioperative setting. Familiarity with the role of endovascular techniques in this group of patients may favorably influence patient management and outcome.
Chaotic and statistical tests on fiber optic dynamic data taken from the riser section of a circulating fluidized bed

Abstract Dynamical tests have been applied to fiber optic data taken from a cold-flow circulating fluidized bed to characterize flow conditions, identify three characteristic scales (macro, meso, and micro), and understand the contribution these scales have on the raw data. The characteristic variable analyzed is the raw voltage signal obtained from a fiber-optic probe taken at various axial and radial positions under different loading conditions. These experiments were carried out with the bed material of cork particles with a medium particle size of 812 μm. The characterization was accomplished through analysis of the distribution of the signal through the third and fourth moments of skewness and excess kurtosis. A generalization of the autocorrelation function known as the average mutual information function was analyzed by examining the function's first minimum, identifying the point at which successive elements are no longer correlated. Further characterization was accomplished through the correlation dimension, a measure of the complexity of the chaotic attractor in deterministic chaos theory. Lastly, the amount of disorder of the system is described by a Kolmogorov-type entropy estimate. All six aforementioned tests were also implemented on ten levels of detail coefficients resulting from a discrete wavelet transformation of the same signal as used above. Through this analysis it is possible to identify and describe micro (particle level), meso (clustering or turbulence level), and macro (physical or dimensional level) length scales even though some literature considers these scales inseparable as is discussed. This investigation also used detail wavelet coefficients in conjunction with ANOVA to show which scales have the most impact on the raw signal resulting from local hydrodynamic conditions.
Ground truthing the atmosphere for infrared system testing

It is well understood that the operation of Infrared Systems is influenced greatly by the atmospheric conditions encountered during all levels of Infrared Systems Testing. One such effort to provide this definition is presented in this paper. During the VISION I field test, conducted by the U.S. Army CECOM Center for Night Vision and Electro-Optics, a very thorough network of sensors gathered atmospheric transmission, optical turbulence, solar radiation, and standard meteorological data. A completely computer based system was used to gather the data and present it to the users in a highly tailored and highly useable form. This effort is described, showing a system description with data examples. Data collection is a secondary thrust of this paper. Of more importance is the processing and disseminating (to the various users of the data) which provides a complete ground truth of atmospheric conditions during testing which is usable by system engineers and modelers.
Ethnic categorization in the 1980 U.S. census: The Basque example

Abstract In the 1980 U.S. census, the Census Bureau included for the first time a question regarding ancestry. The responses allow scholars to distinguish ethnicity from nationality and are therefore of particular utility for ethnic studies specialists. The present article analyzes the results for Basque-Americans, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of both the way in which the question was framed and the subsequent aggregation of the responses.
The diffuse component of the daily global solar irradiation at Corvallis, Oregon (U.S.A.)

Abstract Simple linear regression models have been developed for the estimation of the ratio borne by the daily diffuse solar irradiation to the daily global irradiation at Corvallis, Oregon (U.S.A.) based on insolation measurements made during 1980–1981. The daily clearness index and the hours of bright sunshine have been used as the predictors. More than 85% of the variability of this ratio is explained by these models. It is observed that this ratio has a constant value, very close to unity, for all values of the clearness index less than or equal to 0.2.
Sense of community, neighboring, and social capital as predictors of local political participation in China.

This study examines the state of sense of community, neighboring behavior, and social capital in the People’s Republic of China, and explores their ability to predict local political participation, in the form of voting in elections for Urban Resident/Rural Villager Committees. Using a nationally representative survey, rural, older and married residents and those with a primary or high school education and higher perceived socio-economic status are more likely to participate. In rural areas, men are more likely than women to vote. For urban residents, knowing one’s neighbors is more important whereas in rural areas, neighboring behavior is more important, but both predict voting. Social capital does not generally predict Chinese people’s local political participation. Western definitions of social capital derived from theories about networking, bonding and bridging ties may be too culturally individualistic for China, whose collectivist society and agrarian kinship networks predate Communism. Simply knowing and helping one’s neighbors, rather than more abstract notions of trust, reciprocity or membership, may lead to the development of local democracy.
Alkylation of Iridium via tandem carbon-hydrogen bond. Activation/decarbonylation of aldehydes. Access to complexes with tertiary and highly hindered metal-carbon bonds

Reactions between Cp*(PMe3)Ir(Me)OTf (1) and aldehydes (RCHO) proceed with high selectivity to give the hydrocarbyl carbonyl salts [Cp*(PMe3)Ir(R)(CO)][OTf] (R = Me (2), Et (3), n-Pr (4), c-Pr (5), Ph (6), 1-ethylpropyl (7), p-tolyl (8), mesityl (9), 2-(Z)-1-phenylpropenyl (10), vinyl (13), t-Bu (14), 1-adamantyl (17)). This tandem C−H bond activation/decarbonylation reaction provides access to the first isolated tertiary alkyl complexes of iridium. X-ray diffraction studies were performed on mesityl complex 9, tert-butyl derivative 15, and 1-adamantyl compound 18. Decarbonylation of cyclopropyl complex 5 results in irreversible opening of the cyclopropyl ring. This reaction has provided useful information concerning the mechanism of C−H activation of cyclopropane by 1. Hydride reduction of the p-tolyl carbonyl salt 8 has provided an example of a rare transition-metal formyl complex, Cp*(PMe3)Ir(p-tolyl)(CHO) (28).
Initiation and pattern of angiogenesis in wound healing in the rat

The object of this study was to examine the initiation and pattern of capillary growth associated with wound healing. Collagen sponges were implanted subcutaneously in the hind limbs of adult male rats to stimulate the formation of granulation tissue. Blood vessels of the hind limbs of euthanized rats were perfused with Mercox (an acrylic monomer) via the abdominal aorta at selected periods of time following sponge implantation. When the perfusate was completely cured, the sponge and parajacent tissues were excised and subsequently macerated by alternating immersion in 40% KOH and distilled water. Cast replicas of the vascular lumina were coated with gold and imaged by scanning electron microscopy. At 6 hr, punctate depressions at the periphery of the replicas of vein and venule lumina were noted. The depressions represented sites of leukocyte margination. By 24 hr, the depressions increased numerically, indicating a great increase in the sites of leukocyte margination. The number of these depressions decreased by 48 hr. Concomitantly, the depressions representing endothelial cell nuclei became more pronounced, indicating nuclear hypertrophy of these cells. In addition, capillary bud formation was initiated. At 72 hr, capillary buds were quite apparent and arose solely from venules. Between 7 and 14 days, replicas of capillary lumina were longer and formed an elaborate network, presumably by end-to-end, side-to-side, and end-to-side anastomoses. The network was formed circumferential to the sponge and then capillary sprouts entered the sponge's interstitial spaces.
Primary cosmic-ray alpha particles - III

Nuclear photographic emulsions were exposed to the cosmic radiation on a high altitude balloon flight at 49° N geomagnetic latidude on 3rd August 1958. The total flux of primary alpha-particles, having kinetic energies greater than 400 MeV/nucleon, was found to be (87±8) particles/m2 ster s. Simultaneously, another set of emulsions was exposed at 61° N geomagnetic latitude. A comparison of the data obtained from the two nights leads to an estimate of the geomagnetic cut-off for 49° N as (500±50) MeV/nucleon kinetic energy.
Prediction of the Effects of the Val66Met Polymorphism on the Conformational Ensemble of an Intrinsically Disordered Protein, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor

The discovery of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDP) has challenged the structure-function paradigm and forced us to find new ways for identifying functional mechanisms of proteins. Studies show that IDPs can function while being partly disordered or may fold once they bind to their receptors. Disease-associated Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP) are common in the disordered regions of proteins, but not much is known about their effect on the protein structure. Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) belongs to the family of neurotrophins, and facilitates neurogenesis in its short (mature) form but apoptosis in its long (pro) form. A common (found in 4% of the United States population) SNP that results in the Val66Met mutation in the disordered N terminus domain of the long form of BDNF (proBDNF) has been associated with various neuropsychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder and Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. In order to explore the effect of this SNP on protein structure and dynamics, we conducted Molecular dynamics simulations to identify the effect of the above SNP on likely conformations of proBDNF. Although IDPs have been identified to change their conformations rapidly, many also exhibit some residual secondary structure, which might be biased towards the bound conformation. To construct the ensemble of proBDNF in both forms, large-scale fully atomistic replica exchange calculations of both the Val and Met forms of proBDNF were carried out. We find significant differences in the secondary structure available to Val and Met forms of the protein in the region surrounding the SNP, with results that agree with recent NMR studies. This suggests a position specific residue-type dependence of the residual secondary structure of proBDNF, which might account for functional compromise.
The Demand for Episodes of Mental Health Services

Abstract Observational studies of demand for mental health services showed much greater use by those with more generous insurance, but this difference may have been due to adverse selection, rather than in response to price. This paper avoids the adverse selection problem by using data from a randomized trial, the RAND Health Insurance Experiment (HIE). Participating families were randomly assigned to insurance plans that either provided free care or were a mixture of first dollar coinsurance and free care after a cap on out-of-pocket spending was reached. We estimate the separate effects of coinsurance and the cap on the demand for episodes of outpatient mental health services. We find that outpatient mental health use is more responsive to price than is outpatient medical use, but not as responsive as most observational studies have indicated. Those with no insurance coverage would spend about one-quarter as much on mental health care as they would with free care. Coinsurance reduces the number of episodes of treatment, but has only a small effect on the duration and intensity of use within episodes. Users appear to anticipate exceeding the cap, and spend at more than the free rate after they do so.
Two Laser Raman Difference Technique Applied to High Precision Spectroscopy

Abstract : We have performed precision studies of stimulated resonance Raman transitions in an atomic beam and in a vapor. The extremely narrow resonances produced by such a scheme have applications in high resolution spectroscopy and in the development of new time and frequency standards. Our studies also provide fundamental information about the nature of atom-field interaction and can be compared directly with theoretical predictions.
Iliosacral screw complications

Abstract Potential complications due to iliosacral screws are numerous. Problems occur as a result of poor preoperativeplanning, inadequate intraoperative fluoroscopic imaging, inaccurate posterior pelvic reductions, posterior pelvic anatomical variations, and other reasons. Local nerve or vascular structures are at risk during screw insertions, and fixation failures are associated with insufficient anterior and posterior pelvic stability. Inadequate fixation may result in screw failure and/or delayed or nonunions. Removal of intact or broken screws can also be difficult.
Fate of Ingested 15N-Labelled Nitrate and Nitrite in the Rat

The fate of ingested nitrate and nitrite was investigated in rats by carrying out single and multiple dose feeding studies with 15N-labelled nitrate and nitrite. By 72 hr after discontinuation of administration of the 15N-labelled compounds, about 60–70% of the dose was excreted in the urine, and 10–20% was eliminated in the feces. Residual 15N remaining in the bbody carcass was about 10% following single dose experiments and 3–4% following continuous feeding trials. One-half or more of the excreted 15N was not analyzable chemically as nitrate or nitrite. On the basis of chemical analysis, about 30% of the dose was excreted in urine as nitrate plus nitrite; excretion in the feces was low. Negligible amounts of nitrate-N or nitrite-N were found in blood and organs of the animals. Most of the nonnitrate-15N and nonnitrite-15N was excreted, like nitrate-N and nitrite-N, rather rapidly from the body.
Emotional reliance and social loss: effects on depressive symptomatology.

A reactive form of dependence has been proposed to occur when a person is undergoing a period of substantial stress and change. The present study assessed 114 psychiatric inpatients categorized according to the presence or absence of social loss and their level of emotional reliance on others. Both emotional reliance and social loss were related to a variety of depressive symptoms. A significant interaction was observed between emotional reliance and social loss on depression severity as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). In general, subjects high in emotional reliance but experiencing no social loss displayed higher levels of depression than emotionally reliant subjects who had undergone a social loss. Patients reporting high emotional reliance on others, in the aftermath of a social loss, may be reacting to the loss and suffer from less-severe and less-chronic pathology. Subjects reporting excessive emotional reliance in the absence of any precipitating exit event may be displaying more of...
Social Organization and Drug Law Enforcement

In this piece I argue that Shaw and McKay's community social organization theory has great potential to solve problems associated with both drugs and drug-law enforcement in poor, urban communities. I contrast the community-level approach of social organization theory with the current drug-law enforcement policy, which stubbornly adheres to an individualistic approach that relies on long sentences to incapacitate and deter drug offenders. I explain that although the current policy has the potential to benefit citizens of impoverished neighborhoods, social organization theory suggests that the current policy is more likely to destroy than to reinforce the fabric of poor communities. Among the many reasons that the current policy is likely to undermine community social organization is the fact that it disproportionately affects African Americans in general and poor African Americans who are spatially concentrated in urban areas in particular. I argue that this asymmetry is likely to lead to less compliance with the law among African Americans, less effective policing of African-American neighborhoods, less participation by community residents in formal organizations, and weaker friendship networks among neighbors -- all preconditions to erosion of social organization. To rectify the pitfalls created by the current regime, I discuss specific examples of order maintenance policing, community policing, and private-public partnerships that have the potential to reinforce social organization where it is most needed. Consideration of the racial dynamics of the distribution of punishment in order to avoid group stigmatization that confounds the potential for individuals to form networks that prevent harm associated with both drugs and drug-law enforcement is critical to my discussion.
A hybrid model for mechanical spectra of filled and unfilled elastomers

The dynamic mechanical properties of elastomers are of vital importance in determining the product design/performance relationship. Unfortunately, the statistical theory of Gaussian networks, commonly used for the ideal rubbery state, cannot adequately model the moduli of elastomers in engineering applications. The WLF equation, although not originally designed to predict moduli, has a functional form that predicts moduli for the range from Tg to 100°K plus Tg. A hybrid equation which incorporates elements of the WLF equation and the statistical theory of Gaussian networks in an ideal rubbery state has been developed for explaining the mechanical spectrum of elastomeric materials. The new equation satisfactorily models the mechanical properties for both filled and unfilled elastomers. This model shows that filler loading tends to broaden the relaxation spectrum. This finding agrees with a previous study on the viscosity of uncured elastomer-filler systems.
Anesthesia and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in a child with congenital heart disease.

LUCOSE-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common disease-producing enzyme deficiency in humans.’ G6PD deficiency affects approximately 10% of American black males and 5% of Americans of Chinese descent and is believed to affect at least 100 million people worldwide. Despite its relatively common nature, there arc few reports in the literature regarding anesthesia in patients with this disorder.‘~’ The management of an infant with known GhPD deficiency and complex congenital heart disease is described and the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of the disorder and its possible anesthetic implications are discussed. CASE REPORT A 7-month-old Asian boy was admitted for elective repair of complex congenital heart disease. The patient was born at 36 weeks postconceptional age, developed neonatal jaundice and anemia shortly after birth, and was found to have G6PD deficiency. His
Design and Construction of Experimental Device to Study Cryogen Droplet Deposition and Heat Transfer

ABSTRACT Cryogen spray cooling (CSC) is used to pre-cool the epidermis during laser dermatological procedures such as treatment of port wine stain (PWS) birthmarks. It is known that PWS patients with medium to high epidermal melanin concentrations are at a high risk of epidermal thermal damage after laser irradiation. To avoid this complication, it is necessary to maximize CSC efficiency and, thus, essential to understand the mechanical and thermal interactions of cryogen droplets with the sprayed surface. It has been observed that cryogen sprays exhibit droplet rebound as droplets impinge on the skin surface. Studies of water droplet impact on hard surfaces have shown that droplet rebound may be suppressed by dissolving small amounts (a few percent) of diverse polymer or surfactant solutions prior to atomization. To investigate the possibility of suppressing the rebound of cryogen droplets in a similar way, we have constructed a device that allows observation of the impact, spreading, and rebound of individual water and cryogen droplets with and without these solutions, and their influence on cryogen/surface dynamics and heat transfer. Our preliminary studies show that dissolving a 4% non-ionic surfactant in water reduces droplet rebound and thickness of the residual liquid layer. The maximum spread of water droplets after impact can be described within 20% accuracy by a previously developed theoretical model. The same model provides an even more accurate prediction of the maximum spread of cryogen droplets. This study will aid the analysis of future results and design conditions of new studies, which will recreate conditions to determine if added surfactant solutions suppress droplet rebound and lead to improved CSC efficiency.
Molecular mechanisms for the growth factor action of gastrin.

Todisco, Andrea, Yoshiaki Takeuchi, Andrej Urumov, Junko Yamada, Vinzenz M. Stepan, and Tadataka Yamada. Molecular mechanisms for the growth factor action of gastrin. Am. J. Physiol. 273 (Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 36): G891–G898, 1997.—We have previously observed that gastrin has a cholecystokinin B (CCK-B) receptor-mediated growth-promoting effect on the AR42J rat pancreatic acinar cell line and that this effect is paralleled by induction of expression of the early response gene c-fos. We undertook these experiments to elucidate the mechanism for induction of c-fos and the linkage of this action to the trophic effects of gastrin. Gastrin (0.1–10 nM) dose dependently induced luciferase activity in AR42J cells transfected with a construct consisting of a luciferase reporter gene coupled to the serum response element (SRE) of the c-fos promoter. This effect was blocked by the specific CCK-B receptor antagonist D2 but not by the specific CCK-A receptor antagonist L-364,718 or by pertussis toxin, indicating that gastrin targets the SRE via specific CCK-B receptors through a mechanism independent of Gi. Inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) either by prolonged (24 h) exposure of the cells to the phorbol ester 12-Otetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (100 nM) or by incubation with the selective inhibitor GF-109203X (3.5 μM) resulted in an 80% reduction in luciferase activity. Similar results were observed in the presence of the specific extracellular signalregulated kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD-98059 (50 μM). We measured ERK2 activity in AR42J cells via in-gel kinase assays and observed that gastrin (1 pM-100 nM) induced ERK2 enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner. Addition of GF-109203X and PD-98059, either alone or in combination, produced, respectively, partial and total inhibition of gastrin-induced ERK2 activity. Gastrin induction of ERK2 activity also resulted in a threefold increase in the transcriptional activity of Elk-1, a factor known to bind to the c-fos SRE and to be phosphorylated and activated by ERK2. PD-98059 blocked the growth-promoting effect of gastrin on the AR42J cells, demonstrating that this effect depends on activation of MEK. Our data lead us to conclude that the trophic actions of gastrin are mediated by ERK2-induced c-fos gene expression via PKC-dependent and -independent pathways.
Cost-Effectiveness of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Preliminary Comparison of Single-Bundle and Double-Bundle Techniques

BackgroundThere has been growing interest in anatomical reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), including the use of double-bundle (DB) reconstruction techniques.HypothesisThe DB technique will not be cost-effective when compared with single-bundle (SB) reconstruction.Study DesignEconomic and decision analysis; Level of evidence, 1.MethodsA decision-analysis model with input values derived from the literature was used to estimate the cost-effectiveness of DB ACL reconstruction compared with SB ACL reconstruction. Effectiveness was based on the revision rate and the postoperative International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score.ResultsSixty-four percent of DB knees result in an IKDC score of A, compared with 54% of SB knees. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of a DB reconstruction compared with an SB reconstruction was $6416 per quality adjusted life year in the baseline scenario and $64 371 per quality adjusted life year in the alternate scenario. The model is very sensitive ...
The impact of neo-liberal globalization on pre-school day-care service in South Korea: Tensions and dilemmas

The impact of globalization on the South Korean pre-school day-care system is examined in this article, which argues that market competition and deregulation that accompany neo-liberal globalization resulted in a decline in the quality of day-care service.The government loosened the qualifications for private service providers and teachers over a 10-year period beginning in the 1990s. This deregulation resulted in the low-service quality of private centers. Since 2003, the government has tried to improve the quality of private centers through subsidization and increased monitoring. However, these recent governmental efforts have not proved a success.
Multi-sensor personal navigator supported by adaptive knowledge based system: Performance assessment

The prototype of a personal navigator, which integrates Global Positioning System (GPS), tactical grade inertial measurement unit (IMU), digital barometer, magnetometer, and human pedometry to support navigation and tracking of military and rescue ground personnel has been developed at The Ohio State University Satellite Positioning and Inertial Navigation (SPIN) Laboratory. This paper discusses the design, implementation and performance assessment of the prototype, with a special emphasis on dead-reckoning (DR) navigation supported by a human locomotion model. The primary components of the human locomotion model are step frequency (SF), extracted from GPS-timed impact micro-switches placed on the shoe soles of the operator, step length (SL), and step direction (SD), both determined by predictive models derived by the adaptive knowledge based system (KBS). SL KBS is based on Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Fuzzy Logic (FL), and is trained a priori using sensory data collected by various operators in various environments during GPS signal reception. An additional KBS module, in the form of a Kalman Filter (KF), is used to improve the heading information (SD) available from the magnetometer and gyroscope under GPS-denied conditions, as well as to integrate the DR parameters to reconstruct the trajectory based on SL and SD. The current target accuracy of the system is 3-5 m CEP (circular error probable, 50%). This paper provides a performance analysis in the indoor and outdoor environments for two different operators. The systempsilas navigation limitation in DR mode is tested in terms of time and trajectory length to determine the upper limit of indoor operation before the need for re-calibration.
Traveling wave control for large spacecraft structures

This paper introduces the point of view that elastic deformations in large spacecraft structures may be aptly viewed in terms of propagating disturbances. Since the main topic of this paper is the control concepts, which result from such a viewpoint, the required structural dynamic description in terms of travelling disturbances is described only briefly, with reference to previously published works. The active control of these structures is approached from the point of view of actively modifying the natural disturbance propagation paths. Elastic energy is shunted into unimportant portions of the structure or is absorbed by an active "wave absorber." Several computational examples demonstrate the remarkable theoretical performance achievable by propagation-based controllers. Some discussion of practical difficulties in the implementation of such controllers is included.
Microglial KCa3.1 Channels as a Potential Therapeutic Target for Alzheimer’s Disease

There exists an urgent need for new target discovery to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, recent clinical trials based on anti-Aβ and anti-inflammatory strategies have yielded disappointing results. To expedite new drug discovery, we propose reposition targets which have been previously pursued by both industry and academia for indications other than AD. One such target is the calcium-activated potassium channel KCa3.1 (KCNN4), which in the brain is primarily expressed in microglia and is significantly upregulated when microglia are activated. We here review the existing evidence supporting that KCa3.1 inhibition could block microglial neurotoxicity without affecting their neuroprotective phagocytosis activity and without being broadly immunosuppressive. The anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of KCa3.1 blockade would be suitable for treating AD as well as cerebrovascular and traumatic brain injuries, two well-known risk factors contributing to the dementia in AD patients presenting with mixed pathologies. Importantly, the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of several KCa3.1 blockers are well known, and a KCa3.1 blocker has been proven safe in clinical trials. It is therefore promising to reposition old or new KCa3.1 blockers for AD preclinical and clinical trials.
Reversible silencing of neuronal excitability in behaving mice by a genetically targeted, ivermectin-gated Cl- channel.

Several genetic strategies for inhibiting neuronal function in mice have been described, but no system that directly suppresses membrane excitability and is triggered by a systemically administered drug, has been validated in awake behaving animals. We expressed unilaterally in mouse striatum a modified heteromeric ivermectin (IVM)-gated chloride channel from C. elegans (GluClαβ), systemically administered IVM, and then assessed amphetamine-induced rotational behavior. Rotation was observed as early as 4 hr after a single intraperitoneal IVM injection (10 mg/kg), reached maximal levels by 12 hr, and was almost fully reversed by 4 days. Multiple cycles of silencing and recovery could be performed in a single animal. In striatal slice preparations from GluClαβ-expressing animals, IVM rapidly suppressed spiking. The two-subunit GluCl/IVM system permits “intersectional” strategies designed to increase the cellular specificity of silencing in transgenic animals.
Disparities in the treatment of colon cancer in octogenarians.

Abstract Background Disparities in healthcare for the elderly are understudied, despite the increasing proportion of patients over 80 years of age. Advanced age is a principal risk factor for colorectal adenocarcinoma, but there are few data to guide treatment in the elderly patient population. Methods We performed a retrospective review of prospectively gathered data on 10,433 patients diagnosed with primary colon tumors between 1998 and 2004. We compared demographics, stage at diagnosis, and initial treatment between patients younger than 80 years and those age 80 years or older. Results Patients who were ≥80 years old made up 30% of the database. Older patients were less likely to have colectomy for advanced or metastatic disease than younger patients. Patients who were ≥80 years of age had fewer lymph nodes removed than younger patients (11 vs 10, P Conclusions Older patients make up a large portion of the patients treated for colon cancer and are treated less aggressively. While some of the treatment difference may be explained by medical factors, demographic factors affect treatment decisions as well.
Method for calculating confidence intervals for phase contrast flow measurements

Background: Phase contrast (PC) measurements play an important role in several cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) protocols but considerable variation is observed in such measurements. Part of this variation stems from the propagation of thermal noise from the measurement data through the image reconstruction to the region of interest analysis used in flow measurement, which limits the precision. The purpose of this study was to develop a method for direct estimation of the variation caused by thermal noise and to validate this method in phantom and in vivo data. Methods: The estimation of confidence intervals in flow measurements is complicated by noise correlation among the image pixels and cardiac phases. This correlation is caused by sequence and reconstruction parameters. A method for the calculation of the standard deviation of region of interest measurements was adapted and expanded to accommodate typical clinical PC measurements and the region-of-interest analysis used for such measurements. This included the dependency between cardiac phases that arises due to retrospective cardiac gating used in such studies. The proposed method enables calculation of standard deviations of flow measurements without the need for repeated experiments or repeated reconstructions. The method was compared to repeated trials in phantom measurements and pseudo replica reconstructions of in vivo data. Three different flow protocols (free breathing and breath hold with various accelerations) were compared in terms of the confidence interval ranges caused by thermal noise in the measurement data. Results: Using the proposed method it was possible to accurately predict confidence intervals for flow measurements. The method was in good agreement with repeated measurements in phantom experiments and there was also good agreement with confidence intervals predicted by pseudo replica reconstructions in both phantom and in vivo data. The proposed method was used to demonstrate that the variation in cardiac output caused by thermal noise is on the order of 1% in clinically used free breathing protocols, and on the order of 3-5% in breath-hold protocols with higher parallel imaging factors. Conclusions: It is possible to calculate confidence intervals for Cartesian PC contrast flow measurements directly without the need for time-consuming pseudo replica reconstructions.
Ligand‐Induced conformational changes in the lactose permease of escherichia coli: Evidence for two binding sites

By using a lactose permease mutant containing a single Cys residue in place of Val 331 (helix X), conformational changes induced by ligand binding were studied. With right-side-out membrane vesicles containing Val 331-->Cys permease, lactose transport is inactivated by either N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) or 7-diethylamino-3-(4'-maleimidylphenyl)-4-methylcoumarin (CPM). Remarkably, beta,D-galactopyranosyl 1-thio-beta,D-galactopyranoside (TDG) enhances the rate of inactivation by CPM, a hydrophobic sulfhydryl reagent, whereas NEM inactivation is attenuated by the ligand. Val 331-->Cys permease was then purified and studied in dodecyl-beta,D-maltoside by site-directed fluorescence spectroscopy. The reactivity of Val 331-->Cys permease with 2-(4'-maleimidylanilino)-naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid (MIANS) is not changed over a low range of TDG concentrations ( Cys permease with MIANS is enhanced and the emission maximum of MIANS-labeled permease is blue shifted by 3-7 nm. Furthermore, the fluorescence of MIANS-labeled Val 331 -->Cys permease is quenched by both acrylamide and iodide, but the former is considerably more effective. A low concentration of TDG (0.2 mM) does not alter quenching by either compound, whereas a higher concentration of ligand (10 mM) decreases the quenching constant for iodide by about 50% and for acrylamide by about 20%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Sex differences in neonatal mortality in Sarlahi, Nepal: the role of biology and environment

Background Studies in South Asia have documented increased risk of neonatal mortality among girls, despite evidence of a biological survival advantage. Associations between gender preference and mortality are cited as reasons for excess mortality among girls. This has not, however, been tested in statistical models. Methods A secondary analysis of data from a population-based randomised controlled trial of newborn infection prevention conducted in rural southern Nepal was used to estimate sex differences in early and late neonatal mortality, with girls as the reference group. The analysis investigated which underlying biological factors (immutable factors specific to the newborn or his/her mother) and environmental factors (mutable external factors) might explain observed sex differences in mortality. Results Neonatal mortality was comparable by sex (Ref=girls; OR 1.06, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.22). When stratified by neonatal period, boys were at 20% (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.02% to 1.42%) greater risk of early and girls at 43% (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.51% to 0.94%) greater risk of late neonatal mortality. Biological factors, primarily respiratory depression and unconsciousness at birth, explained excess early neonatal mortality among boys. Increased late neonatal mortality among girls was explained by a three-way environmental interaction between ethnicity, sex and prior sibling composition (categorised as primiparous newborns, infants born to families with prior living boys or boys and girls, and infants born to families with only prior living girls). Conclusions Risk of neonatal mortality inverted between the early and late neonatal periods. Excess risk of early neonatal death among boys was consistent with biological expectations. Excess risk for late neonatal death among girls was not explained by overarching gender preference or preferential care-seeking for boys as hypothesised, but was driven by increased risk among Madeshi girls born to families with only prior girls.
The Legend of Greta Garbo, or Woman as Thing: Hollywood Creations in Max Frisch's Stiller

In this paper, I argue that the silent film director Mauritz Stiller (1883–1928), renowned for having discovered Greta Garbo and for fashioning her into one of the most famous screen icons of all time, served as a model for the eponymous hero of Max Frisch's Stiller. The reputedly odd, symbiotic relationship between Garbo and her mentor, who were dubbed by friends “Pygmalion and Galatea,” parallels on a number of levels the obvious Pygmalion-Galatea relation between the sculptor Stiller and his beautiful wife and model, the ballerina Julika Stiller-Tschudy. Seen in this light, the “feminine mystique” with which Frisch imbues his fictive diva is not only a purposeful allusion to his own film idol, but also a complex representation of man's creation of woman into the fundamentally inaccessible object of his idealized love.
The Unemployment Policy of the National Government, 1931–1936

The British response to the mass unemployment of the 1930s was in striking contrast to that of the other major industrialized countries. Only in Britain was a policy of accepting the apparent logic of capitalism, and waiting out the slump, successfully maintained in a reasonably stable, democratic setting. In an article on ‘The New Deal, National Socialism and the Great Depression’, John A. Garraty wrote that ‘in both Roosevelt's America and Hitler's Germany economic objectives were subordinated whenever necessary to political aims’. In neither country was there ‘any consistently held theory about either the causes of the depression or how to end it’ Britain under the National government represents almost precisely the opposite case. First, the government's policy of minimal direct intervention to relieve unemployment was directed towards achieving its central objective of ensuring that the depression would cause no fundamental changes in existing economic and social relationships. Immediate political considerations were subordinated to this overriding goal, Secondly, the government's approach, though not all of its particular actions, was based on a rational, comprehensive and widely accepted theoretical foundation.
Results of 2003 Transportation Management Association Survey: Analysis of Evolving Characteristics of Transportation Management Associations

The 2003 Transportation Management Association Survey was conducted to collect and analyze survey data to better understand national and international trends in the development and operation of transportation management associations (TMAs). TMAs provide a unique organizational structure for the delivery of mobility management services. They serve as a public-private forum for those who are directly affected to address localized transportation issues through partnership efforts. Comparisons were made with data from similar surveys conducted in 1993 and 1998. With the exception of the Netherlands, transportation management efforts in European nations are implemented through organizational structures different from TMAs as we know them in the United States and Canada. During the past 10 years TMAs have been moving toward less formalized organizational structures and fewer members but with a greater diversification in the way in which service areas are defined and in the types of members. TMAs rely less on member dues and more on federal grants. They are offering a broader range of services, reflecting efforts to tailor services to meet the needs of a greater variety of travel markets, in addition to commuters. In contrast to 1993 most TMAs now conduct employee and program evaluations. However, approximately 65% of TMAs do not have a strategic plan and 40% do not use an annual or biennial work plan. Canadian TMAs have formed to accomplish missions similar to those of their U.S. counterparts. The first Canadian TMA began in 1995, and the largest member group across all Canadian TMAs is government employers.