cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Second law analysis in heat transfer

Abstract The second law of thermodynamics is used as a basis for evaluating the irreversibility (entropy generation) associated with simple heat transfer processes. In the first part of this paper, the irreversibility production is analyzed from the local level, at one point in a convective heat transfer arrangement. The second part of the paper is devoted to a limited review of second law analysis applied to classic engineering components for heat exchange. In this category, the paper includes such topics as: heat transfer augmentation techniques, heat exchanger design, and thermal insulation systems. Analytical methods for evaluating and minimizing the irreversibility associated with textbook-type components of heat transfer equipment are presented.
Solvation of alkyllithium compounds. Steric effects on heats of interaction of bases with hexameric versus tetrameric alkyllithiums

Abstract Heats of interaction of Lewis bases with hexameric and tetrameric alkyllithiums in hydrocarbon solution at 25° have been determined by high dilution solution calorimetry at low base to lithium atom ratios. The Lewis bases utilized include tetrahydrothiophene, tetrahydrofuran, triethylphosphine, triethylamine, and diethyl ether. The organolithiums investigated were n -butyllithium, ethyllithium, isopropyllithium, trimethylsilylmethyllithium, and t -butyllithium. The basicity order based on initial enthalpies of interaction is independent of the alkyllithium compound. Larger enthalpies of interaction were observed for the tetrameric versus hexameric alkyllithiums with the exception of tetrameric t -butyllithium which does not interact significantly with these bases. The sensitivities of the enthalpies to the steric requirements of the base were probed by comparison of the enthalpies for tetrahydrofuran, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, and 2,5-dimethyltetrahydrofuran. Base coordination to hexameric n -butyllithium is more sensitive to the steric requirements of the tetrahydrofuran bases than is coordination to tetrameric trimethylsilylmethyllithium or isopropyllithium. These results are interpreted in terms of coordination of tetrahydrofuran bases to the intact hexameric aggregate for n -butyllithium; however, it is concluded that the corresponding interaction with hexameric trimethylsilylmethyllithium leads directly to base-solvated tetramers.
Bayesian sample size determination for inspection of general corrosion of process components

Abstract A Bayesian approach-based method is proposed for calculating the minimum size of a sample to assess, with a specified precision, the integrity of process components suffering from general corrosion. The proposed method ensures that the error in the posterior estimate of the mean does not exceed a pre-defined acceptable margin of error at a specified confidence level. An analytical formula to estimate the sample size is introduced. The sample size obtained using the proposed method is smaller than a sample size obtained using the classical method with same confidence level. This reduces sampling inspection cost without affecting the precision of the estimate.
Genomic Basis of a Polyagglutinating Isolate of Neisseria meningitidis

Containment strategies for outbreaks of invasive Neisseria meningitidis disease are informed by serogroup assays that characterize the polysaccharide capsule. We sought to uncover the genomic basis of conflicting serogroup assay results for an isolate ({"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"M16917","term_id":"167250"}}M16917) from a patient with acute meningococcal disease. To this end, we characterized the complete genome sequence of the {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"M16917","term_id":"167250"}}M16917 isolate and performed a variety of comparative sequence analyses against N. meningitidis reference genome sequences of known serogroups. Multilocus sequence typing and whole-genome sequence comparison revealed that {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"M16917","term_id":"167250"}}M16917 is a member of the ST-11 sequence group, which is most often associated with serogroup C. However, sequence similarity comparisons and phylogenetic analysis showed that the serogroup diagnostic capsule polymerase gene (synD) of {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"M16917","term_id":"167250"}}M16917 belongs to serogroup B. These results suggest that a capsule-switching event occurred based on homologous recombination at or around the capsule locus of {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"M16917","term_id":"167250"}}M16917. Detailed analysis of this locus uncovered the locations of recombination breakpoints in the {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"M16917","term_id":"167250"}}M16917 genome sequence, which led to the introduction of an ∼2-kb serogroup B sequence cassette into the serogroup C genomic background. Since there is no currently available vaccine for serogroup B strains of N. meningitidis, this kind capsule-switching event could have public health relevance as a vaccine escape mutant.
Kinetic analyses of the effects of hyperoxia and hypoxia on vascular cyclooxygenase activity in vitro

Summary Kinetic analyses were performed to understand the mechanism of hyperoxic induced inhibition of prostacyclin synthesis by human umbilical arteries. Brief exposure of arterial segments to oxygen resulted in over 30% decrease in Vmax of cyclooxygenase in treated vessels. In contrast, cyclooxygenase from hypoxic arterial segments showed approximately a 49% increase in Vmax. There were no significant differences in apparent Km values. These studies suggest that the decreased production of prostacyclin by hyperoxic tissue is due to cyclooxygenase inactivation.
The dispersed fluorescence spectrum of NaAr: Ground and excited state potential curves

Potential curves for the ground state and the first excited state of NaAr were determined. The van der Waals molecule NaAr was prepared by supersonic free jet expansion of a mixture of sodium, argon, and helium. The electronic transition from the ground state to the first excited state A2pi was excited by a tunable dye laser and the resulting fluorescence was studied. The dispersed fluorescence spectra show discrete and diffuse features, corresponding to transitions from excited vibrational levels of the A state to bound and unbound levels of the x state. The characteristic reflection structure in the bound-free spectra permits an unambiguous assignment of the vibrational numbering in the A state, and this assignment together with previously measured spectroscopic constants are used to calculate the potential curve of the A state. The discrete structure in the fluorescence spectra is used to determine the potential curve of the x state in the well region, and the repulsive part of the X curve is then deduced through trial-and-error simulation of the bound-free spectra.
Initial endoscopy or empirical therapy with or without testing for Helicobacter pylori for dyspepsia: A decision analysis

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS: Empirical therapy has been proposed for initial management of dyspepsia. The aim of this study was to evaluate initial endoscopy, empirical therapy, and testing for Helicobacter pylori in the management of patients with a new onset of dyspepsia. METHODS: Decision analysis was used to compare the direct medical charges in the first year after the onset of dyspepsia for patients managed by initial endoscopy or empirical therapy, with or without initial testing for H. pylori. RESULTS: Medical care charges were $2162.50 for initial endoscopy and $2122.60 for empirical therapy, a difference of 1.8%. For a 55-year-old adult, life expectancy was 23.49 years for initial endoscopy compared with 23.48 years for empirical therapy. Empirical therapy has lower charges than initial endoscopy when H2-receptor antagonists are used to prevent recurrence of dyspepsia. Initial noninvasive testing for H. pylori has lower charges than initial endoscopy if patients with dyspepsia with H. pylori receive antimicrobial therapy without endoscopy but would have higher charges if patients with H. pylori routinely have endoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Surprisingly, the choice of optimal management strategy was a "toss- up." Only modest savings may result from practice guidelines that recommend empirical therapy in the management of patients with dyspepsia. (Gastroenterology 1996 Jan;110(1):72-83)
Broadband Emission of GaAs/AlGaAs Quantum-Well Superluminescent Diode at 850 nm

We report the fabrication and characterization of broad emission linewidth GaAs/AlGaAs quantum-well based superluminescent diodes. A photon absorption section and an optical amplifier sections are monolithically integrated on the device to suppress feedback oscillation and to amplifier the optical power, respectively. The device emitters at 850_nm peak wavelength, and exhibits a broad bandwidth of 65 nm, output power > 3.5 mW, and a spectral ripple of 0.5 dB at 20oC under continuous wave operation.
Nonlinear ultimate boundedness control and stabilization of a flexible robotic arm

We treat the question of control of an elastic robotic arm of two links. Of course, this approach can be extended to other elastic arms. A nonlinear ultimate boundedness controller (UBC) is synthesized such that in the closed-loop system the joint angle tracking error is uniformly bounded and tends to a certain small neighborhood of the origin. The controller includes a reference joint angle trajectory generator and integral error feedback. Although the joint angles are controlled using the UBC, elastic modes are excited. A feedback stabilizer is designed for the linearized model including the UBC about the terminal state that is switched only in the vicinity of the equilibrium state for stabilization. Simulation results are presented to show that in the closed-loop system including the UBC and the stabilizer accurate joint angle trajectory following and elastic mode stabilization are accomplished in the presence of uncertainty.
Noninvasive Assessment of Coronary Microcirculatory Function in Postmenopausal Women and Effects of Short-Term and Long-Term Estrogen Administration

Background — Estrogen improves endothelial function in the coronary conduit vessels of animals; however, its effects on the coronary microcirculation have not been studied completely in humans. Methods and Results — We measured myocardial blood flow (MBF) with a PET scan at rest, during cold pressor testing (CPT), and during dipyridamole hyperemia in 54 postmenopausal women without coronary artery disease. Of these, 23 were not and 31 women were taking long-term hormone replacement therapy (HRT) using estrogen either alone or with a progestogen. Each group was subdivided by coronary risk factors (RFs). Twelve young healthy women served as controls. In women not taking HRT, MBF measurements were repeated after 25 mg of conjugated equine estrogens IV. Neither short estrogen nor long-term HRT affected MBF at rest in women with and without RFs. Dipyridamole MBF was attenuated only in the women with RF who were not taking HRT. Short-term estrogen and long-term HRT did not reverse the abnormal response. MBF responses to CPT were abnormal in women not taking HRT, regardless of RFs (20±15% versus 32±21%) and remained unchanged after short-term estrogen administration. Long-term HRT normalized the response to CPT only in women without RF (53±22% versus 59±36% in the young women; NS). MBFs were similar for women on estrogen alone or estrogen plus a progestogen, regardless of presence or absence of RFs. Conclusion — Menopause is associated with abnormal CPT (an indirect measure of endothelial function), which can be reversed by long-term HRT only when RFs are absent. Progestogens do not antagonize this effect. Long-term HRT may therefore be useful in the primary prevention of coronary artery disease in women without RFs. Received May 9, 2001; revision received November 2, 2001; accepted November 5, 2001.
Moral Distress in Rehabilitation Professionals: Results From a Hospital Ethics Survey

Objective Moral distress in the rehabilitation setting was examined in a follow-up survey. The survey had 3 goals: (1) to systematically and anonymously gather data about the ethical issues that employees struggle with in their daily work; (2) to raise the visibility of the hospital-based ethics program and resources available to employees; and (3) to prioritize and focus the direction of the program's educational seminars, quality improvement projects, and ethics consultation. Design Online survey of employees. Setting Urban rehabilitation system of care. Participants The survey was open to all employees; 207 completed the survey. Interventions N/A Main Outcome Measurements N/A Conclusions Three broad categories of moral distress were identified: institutional ethics, professional practice, and clinical decision-making. Institutional ethics issues related to the health care environment, such as health care reimbursement pressures and corporate culture. Professional practice issues involved codes of behavior and concepts of professionalism, including patient confidentiality/privacy. Clinical decision-making included such practical dilemmas as conflicts around goal-setting, discharge planning, and assessment of decision-making capacity. An anonymous survey of staff members allowed the hospital ethics program to identify sources of moral distress and prioritize strategies to address them.
Stochastic Gradient Descent Optimization for Low Power Nano-CMOS Thermal Sensor Design

The drive for ultra efficient and low-cost portable devices continues to push the need for low power circuit designs. The increasing transistor density and complexity of IC designs aggravates the task of producing efficient low power and low cost design. The short time to market (TTM) also increases this burden on designers, as optimal designs have to be produced in an ever decreasing amount of time. This paper presents an optimization design flow methodology that optimizes the power (accounting leakage) consumption of integrated circuits (ICs). The design flow incorporates a stochastic gradient descent (SGD) based algorithm and is implemented using a 45 nm thermal sensor circuit as case study. Power-efficient high-sensitive thermal sensors are important to reduce the burden on the systems or circuits that they are implanted to sense. Experiments are performed to apply the proposed design flow methodology on the thermal sensor with the power consumption as the design objective while keeping the temperature resolution as a constraint. Experiments on full-blown (RCLK) netlist of sense amplifier show a reduction in power consumption by 38%.
Immunoenzymic Localization of Plant Virus on Aphid Stylets

An enzyme-linked antigen distribution assay (Makleret al. 1981) was used to detect and to visualize the location of the lentil strain of pea seed-borne mosaic virus, a non-persistently transmitted potyvirus, on dissected vector stylets.
Sensitivity of Monilinia oxycocci to Fenbuconazole and Propiconazole in vitro and Control of Cranberry Cottonball in the Field

ABSTRACT The efficacy of fungicides in controlling cottonball disease of cranberry was tested during 1996 to 1998 at three locations in Wisconsin. For some fungicides, the efficacy of four applications, two each during shoot elongation and bloom, was compared with two applications during bloom only. Spraying twice during bloom was as effective in controlling secondary infection as spraying twice during shoot elongation plus twice during bloom. Azoxystrobin, cyprodinil, and propiconazole were equally effective. None of the treatments affected yield, fruit retention, or berry weight compared with the controls. Sensitivity of M. oxycocci, the cottonball pathogen, to fenbuconazole and propiconazole was tested in vitro by comparing the distributions of ED50 values of populations collected from three sites that differed in previous exposure to fungicides. Median ED50 values for fenbuconazole were significantly greater at sites where sterol demethylation inhibitor fungicides had been used compared with a site wh...
Investigation of Phase Stability in the System Sic‐AlN

Dense samples of several compositions in the system SiC-AIN were fabricated by hot-pressing. The SiC-AIN powder was prepared by carbothermal reduction of an intimate mixture of alumina, silica, and carbon in a nitrogen atmosphere. X-ray diffraction and electron and optical microscopy were used to determine the chemical and microstructural characteristics of the hot-pressed specimens. Materials with bulk compositions between 15 and 75 wt% AIN were found to be nonhomo-geneous when hot-pressed below 2100°C. These materials were determined to be a mixture of SiC-AIN solid solutions with different compositions. The observed compositional variations were distinctly bimodal. The source of the in-homogeneity was the starting SiC-AIN powder. The powders, as well as the hot-pressed samples, consisted of a mixture of small crystals rich in SiC and large AIN-rich crystals. Compositions outside the 15 to 75 wt% AIN region were found to be single phase and to have the wurtzite structure. Hot-pressing SiC-AIN in the intermediate composition range at 2300°C produced an optically and chemically homogeneous material. The precipitation of an SiC-rich phase from a 75 wt% AIN solid solution and the precipitation of an AIN-rich phase from a 47 wt% AIN alloy when annealed at 1700°C are strong indications that a miscibility gas exists in the system SiC-AIN.
Analytical approximations to the Hotelling trace for digital x-ray detectors

The Hotelling trace is the signal-to-noise ratio for the ideal linear observer in a detection task. We provide an analytical approximation for this figure of merit when the signal is known exactly and the background is generated by a stationary random process, and the imaging system is an ideal digital x-ray detector. This approximation is based on assuming that the detector is infinite in extent. We test this approximation for finite-size detectors by comparing it to exact calculations using matrix inversion of the data covariance matrix. After verifying the validity of the approximation under a variety of circumstances, we use it to generate plots of the Hotelling trace as a function of pairs of parameters of the system, the signal and the background.
Optimum design of T beam sections

Abstract An algorithm to obtain the optimum dimensions of the T beam and the area of tension reinforcement for the given external bending moment is presented. Dead weight of the beam which might contribute substantially to the total moment particularly for long spans, is considered as a variable. Cost of concrete, steel and form work are considered. A flow chart representing the sequence of calculations and a numerical example are also presented. The proposed method is simple both algebraically and computationally compared to the methods available in the literature which do not account for all the variables considered in this paper.
Peaceful Nuclear Explosions and the Geography of Scientific Authority

From 1957 to 1973, scientists and engineers working under the direction of the United States Atomic Energy Commission and its Livermore laboratory investigated, experimented with, and promoted the idea of ‘peaceful’ uses of nuclear explosives through a program called Project Plowshare. Proponents confidently argued that the ‘geographical engineering’ (as it was called) of harbors, canals, dams, and mountain passes could be accomplished safely, economically, and scientifically by means of nuclear-blasted excavation. But the nuclear earthmoving explosions also produced large amounts of radioactive fallout, and with it, significant challenges to the program on scientific grounds. This paper examines several moments from the contested career of nuclear earthmoving to show how scientific and technical research under the Plowshare program, developed out of the resources of Cold War American science, was structured by geographical variations in scientific authority.
The inherent safety characteristics of an unconventional LMR design—The Trench Reactor

Abstract This paper presents the transient behavior during off-normal operation of an unconventional liquid metal reactor design, called the Trench Reactor. Under the postulated accident conditions, this reactor design responds in an inherently safe manner to loss of heat sink accidents, loss of flow accidents, overcooling accidents and transient overpower accidents with 25 cents of reactivity insertion. The characteristics that cause such inherently save behavior are the properties of the materials and the configuration of the reactor primary system, even without any activated safety devices.
Electron capture by protons and helium ions from lithium, sodium, and magnesium.

Cross sections for single-electron capture by protons and single- and double-electron capture by helium ions from atomic lithium, sodium, and magnesium targets are presented. The absolute cross sections were measured by using the growth-curve method. Impact energies are in the range 2--100 kV q, where q is the projectile charge state. The present data are compared with previous experimental and theoretical work.
SYNTHESIS OF C1-C8 AND C9-C24 FRAGMENTS OF (-)-DISCODERMOLIDE : USE OF ASYMMETRIC ALKYLATION AND STEREOSELECTIVE ALDOL REACTIONS

The C1C8 and C9C24 fragments of (−)-discodermolide, the antipode of the marine natural product (+)-discodermolide, have been synthesized with excellent stereoselectivities. These syntheses feature the utilization of the isoxazolidine-mediated asymmetric alkylation methodology and fragment-fragment coupling aldol reactions.
Investigation of shock-induced separation of a turbulent boundary layer using laser velocimetry

Boundary-layer measurements realized by laser velocimetry are presented for a Mach 2.9, two-dimensional, shock-wave/turbulent boundary-layer interaction containing an extensive region of separated flow. Mean velocity and turbulent intensity profiles were obtained from upstream of the interaction zone to downstream of the mean reattachment point. The superiority of the laser velocimeter technique over pressure sensors in turbulent separated flows is demonstrated by a comparison of the laser velocimeter data with results obtained from local pitot and static pressure measurements for the same flow conditions. The locations of the mean separation and reattachment points as deduced from the mean velocity measurements are compared to oil-flow visualization results. Representative, velocity probability density functions obtained in the separated flow region are also presented. Critical to the success of this investigation were: (1) the use of Bragg cell frequency shifting and (2) artificial seeding of the flow with submicron light-scattering particles.
Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of a phenolic mixture from an aqueous waste stream

Abstract Supercritical C02 can be used to remove contaminants from aqueous streams. Generally, the literature reports only pure contaminant distribution coefficients (K values). In a more realistic situation, however, more than one contaminant can be expected to be present in water. In order to study the effect of cosolubility, we have measured the distribution coefficients when a mixture of four contaminants — phenol, m-cresol, p-chlorophenol, and benzene — were present in water. No effect of cosolubility on the distribution coefficients has been found for this system. However, these results along with recently available data1 for a different mixture of contaminants have been analyzed to show that both strong solute-solute interactions and high relative volatilities need to act together if one contaminant is to act as an entrainer ano another contaminant.
Needle Biopsy Procedure for Electrophoresis in Fishes

Abstract A minimally invasive needle biopsy procedure for obtaining liver and muscle tissue was developed for genetic determinations in Micropterus spp. This method is simple and inexpensive, and should be applicable to most fish species. It is of particular value when mortality must be minimized, such as with endangered species or broodstock.
Microorganisms for degrading simmondsin and related cyanogenic toxins in jojoba

Four microorganisms that metabolize simmondsin (S) and related cyanogenic toxins from jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) were isolated by enrichment: Pseudallescheria boydii, a fungus which specifically degrades simmondsin ferulate but not S; Fusarium moniliforme; “Flavobacterium aurantiacum”; and Pseudomonas maltophilia. The latter three organisms grow on S as a sole carbon and nitrogen source in culture media, but only F. moniliforme attacks S in the complete jojoba meal. Combinations of the four microorganisms at two temperatures, and with free air or limited air exchange for up to 20 days, were tested on jojoba meal to determine an optimum detoxification method. Degradation of toxins was most rapid and complete when Pseudallescheria boydii and Fusarium moniliforme together were incubated on jojoba meal at 25°C with free air exchange for 20 days. Mice were fed fermented meals at 0, 5, 10 and 20% substitution levels to determine detoxification and nutritional quality. Average daily gains during rapid growth of weanling (1–3 weeks) and mature (4–8 weeks) mice did not differ significantly from controls for mice on all diets containing fermented meal. Diets containing fungally detoxified jojoba meal were more efficient for maintaenance of mature weight than jojoba meal detoxified with enzymes naturally present in the meal. Meal can be detoxified by ensilage for 20 days at 80% water content. Detoxification is attributed to as yet unidentified enzymes inherent in the jojoba seed.
Primary cutaneous aspergillosis in a preterm infant

A case of primary cutaneous aspergillosis in a very low birthweight infant that responded to medical therapy is reported. Knowledge of the potential pathogenic role of this organism in neonatal skin lesions is important because of resistance to standard empirical antibacterial therapy and the potential for dissemination and deep parenchymal invasion. Surgical excision may be necessary if cutaneous aspergillosis progresses despite systemic antifungal therapy.
Effects of molecular structures of carbon-based molecules on bio-lubrication

Abstract The lack of lubrication affects the performance of both natural and artificial joints and often leads to their failure. This research investigates the tribological performance of four carbon-based molecules, phloroglucinol, 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene, graphene oxide (GO), and diamondoid (diamantane-4,9-dicarboxylic acid), as water-based lubricants against ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). Results showed friction reduction for all lubricants and GO performed the best. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that GO flakes were prone to be adsorbed on the surface. The mending effect was dominant for the rest molecules that is less effective in lowering friction.
Anxiety and Intrafamilial Stress in Children with Hemophilia after the HIV Crisis

Abstract Objective The 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R anxiety disorders and intrafamilial stress ratings were determined in 23 children with hemophilia, 37 children with asthma, and 31 healthy children. Method Diagnoses were made using the parent and child versions of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS), and intrafamilial stress ratings were obtained using the Index of Family Relations (IFR). Results HIV-positive boys with hemophilia had significantly higher rates of anxiety disorders than did the other comparison groups ( p 0.05), mainly owing to a high rate of separation anxiety disorder. Intrafamilial stress ratings were highest in the asthma group, where 29.7% of the children and 24.3% of the parents reached clinically significant scores. Conclusions Anxiety disorders appear to be common in HIV-positive children with hemophilia; however, they report little intrafamilial stress. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry , 1993, 32, 3:562–567.
First attention then intention: insights from computational neuroscience of vision

Attention is a critical construct for anyone involved in marketing. However, research on attention is currently lacking in the marketing discipline. This is perhaps due to inherent difficulties in measuring attention. The current paper accentuates the importance of better understanding attention, and suggests studying attention as a two-component construct consisting of equally important bottom-up and top-down processes. While research on top-down attention has recently been undertaken by Pieters and Wedel (2004; 2007), the current paper introduces the field of computational neuroscience and its research on visual attention as a useful framework for studying bottom-up attention.
Surgical Outcome for "Normal" Coronary Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias

Analyses of 75 surgically treated patients for potential life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias demonstrate a distinct subset of patients with «normal» coronary ventricular tachyarrhythmias. This subset of 10 patients (Group A) was compared with the remaining 65 patients (Group B), who had intraluminally obstructed and ischemic lesions. The etiologies for Group A patients included 4 hypertrophic cardiomyopathies, 4 dynamic intramyocardial muscle bridges, and 2 congenital aneurysms or diverticula
Market diversion and market power: California eggs.

Allegations of price-fixing by US egg producers maintain that the industry’s strategic use of export programs softens competition in the domestic market. This study provides an empirical investigation into these allegations using retail market data from a specific California retail market. Our findings suggest that the antitrust complaints have economic merit, but the deviations from competitive behavior are small.
Complex N-glycans in Mgat1 null preimplantation embryos arise from maternal Mgat1 RNA

Mice with a null mutation in the Mgat1 gene lack N-acetyl-glucosaminyltransferase I (GlcNAc-TI; EC 2.4.1.101), and die at mid-gestation. This result suggested that development of Mgat1-/- blastocysts and their implantation could occur in the absence of complex and hybrid N-glycans. However, inner cell mass of all blastocysts from several Mgat1 +/- heterozygous crosses bind the lectin E-PHA, indicating that Mgat1 null mutant blastocysts are able to synthesize complex N-glycans (Campbell et al., (1995) Glycobiology, 5, 535-543). In order to directly test this hypothesis, Mgat1-/- blastocysts were positively identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of genomic DNA. Reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) of RNA isolated from the same blastocysts, and restriction analysis of the PCR products, revealed that Mgat1 null blastocysts contained Mgat1 RNA derived from the wild-type Mgat1 gene. Consistent with this, all 3.5 day blastocysts from five heterozygous crosses bound the lectin L-PHA, a lectin previously shown not to bind to E8.5 or E9.5 Mgat1-/- embryos that lack complex N-glycans (Ioffe and Stanley (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, 91, 728-732). Blastocysts of 4.5 days postcoitum (dpc) obtained by culturing 3.5 dpc blastocysts also bound L-PHA. However, mutant embryos that did not bind L-PHA were present among progeny from E5.5 onward. Therefore, the effects of the Mgat1 null mutation are not operative until sometime between implantation and E5.5, due to the continued presence of maternally derived Mgat1 mRNA in preimplantation embryos.
Tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells in metastatic gastrointestinal cancer refractory to chemotherapy.

Purpose: To evaluate whether patients with metastatic gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas refractory to chemotherapy harbor tumor-reactive cytotoxic T cells. Experimental Design: Expansion of CD8 + tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) and cancer cell lines was attempted from gastrointestinal cancer metastases in 16 consecutive patients for the study of antitumor immune recognition. Retroviral transduction of genes encoding T-cell receptors (TCR) was used to define HLA-restriction elements and specific reactivity. Results: TIL were expanded from metastases in all patients, and new tumor cell lines were generated in 5 patients. Autologous tumor recognition without cross-reactivity against allogeneic HLA-matched gastrointestinal tumors was found in CD8 + TIL from 3 of these 5 patients. In a patient with gastric cancer liver metastases, the repertoire of CD8 + TIL was dominated by cytolytic sister clones reactive to 2 out of 4 autologous cancer cell lines restricted by HLA-C*0701. From the same patient, a rare CD8 + TIL clone with a distinct TCR recognized all four cancer cell lines restricted by HLA-B*4901. In a patient with bile duct cancer, two distinct antitumor cytolytic clones were isolated from a highly polyclonal CD8 + TIL repertoire. TCRs isolated from these clones recognized epitopes restricted by HLA-A*0201. In a third patient, CD8 + TIL reactivity was progressively lost against an autologous colon cancer cell line that displayed loss of HLA haplotype. Conclusions: This study provides a basis for the development of immunotherapy for patients with advanced gastrointestinal malignancies by first establishing the presence of naturally occurring tumor-reactive CD8 + TIL at the molecular level. Clin Cancer Res; 20(2); 331–43. ©2013 AACR .
Spike-timing-dependent learning in memristive nanodevices

The neuromorphic paradigm is attractive for nanoscale computation because of its massive parallelism, potential scalability, and inherent defect-, fault-, and failure-tolerance. We show how to implement timing-based learning laws, such as spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP), in simple, memristive nanodevices, such as those constructed from certain metal oxides. Such nano-scale ldquosynapsesrdquo can be combined with CMOS ldquoneuronsrdquo to create neuromorphic hardware several orders of magnitude denser than is possible in conventional CMOS. The key ideas are: (1) to factor out two synaptic state variables to pre- and post-synaptic neurons; and (2) to separate computational communication from learning by time-division multiplexing of pulse-width-modulated signals through synapses. This approach offers the advantages of: better control over power dissipation; fewer constraints on the design of memristive materials used for nanoscale synapses; learning dynamics can be dynamically turned on or off (e.g. by attentional priming mechanisms communicated extra-synaptically); greater control over the precise form and timing of the STDP equations; the ability to implement a variety of other learning laws besides STDP; better circuit diversity since the approach allows different learning laws to be implemented in different areas of a single chip using the same memristive material for all synapses.
Scanning Electron Microscopy of “Saddleback” Lesions Associated with Experimental Infections of Flavobacterium columnare in Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Siluriformes: Ictaluridae), and Zebrafish, Danio rerio (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae)

Laboratory-reared, specific pathogen-free fingerling channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, and adult zebrafish, Danio rerio, were each separately exposed by immersion challenge to the etiological agent of “columnaris disease,”Flavobacterium columnare (Japanese Collection of Microorganisms 21327 strain). At 24-h post-immersion, fish exhibiting a “saddleback” lesion were fixed whole in 10% neutral buffered formalin. Skin samples approximately 5 mm2 were excised from both the margin and center of each saddleback lesion as well as from corresponding sites in control, non-challenged, fish before being prepared routinely for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Skin samples from control channel catfish and zebrafish had uniform, contiguous epidermal cells with continuous or closely apposed cell margins and well-defined microridges. Channel catfish skin lesion samples had margins typified by epidermal sloughing and lesion centers that exhibited a multitude of rod-shaped bacterial cells, approximately 3–10 µm long × 0.3–0.5 µm wide, intermingled with cellular debris across a surface characterized by denuded, strongly ridged, or folded dermal connective tissue. Zebrafish skin lesion samples had a multitude of rod-shaped bacterial cells and exhibited comparable ultrastructural changes but some lacked scales. These findings are the first published SEM observations of columnaris disease and saddleback lesions in channel catfish and zebrafish and thereby advance our understanding of the ultrastructural characteristics of acute-stage saddleback lesions and columnaris disease pathogenesis.
Irrigation differentially impacts populations of indigenous antibiotic-producing pseudomonas spp. in the rhizosphere of wheat.

This work determined the impact of irrigation on the seasonal dynamics of populations of Pseudomonas spp. producing the antibiotics phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (Phz+) and 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (Phl+) in the rhizosphere of wheat grown in the low-precipitation zone (150 to 300 mm annually) of the Columbia Plateau of the Inland Pacific Northwest. Population sizes and plant colonization frequencies of Phz+ and Phl+ Pseudomonas spp. were determined in winter and spring wheat collected during the growing seasons from 2008 to 2009 from selected commercial dryland and irrigated fields in central Washington State. Only Phz+ bacteria were detected on dryland winter wheat, with populations ranging from 4.8 to 6.3 log CFU g−1 of root and rhizosphere colonization frequencies of 67 to 100%. The ranges of population densities of Phl+ and Phz+ Pseudomonas spp. recovered from wheat grown under irrigation were similar, but 58 to 100% of root systems were colonized by Phl+ bacteria whereas only 8 to 50% of plants harbored Phz+ bacteria. In addition, Phz+ Pseudomonas spp. were abundant in the rhizosphere of native plant species growing in nonirrigated areas adjacent to the sampled dryland wheat fields. This is the first report that documents the impact of irrigation on indigenous populations of two closely related groups of antibiotic-producing pseudomonads that coinhabit the rhizosphere of an economically important cereal crop. These results demonstrate how crop management practices can influence indigenous populations of antibiotic-producing pseudomonads with the capacity to suppress soilborne diseases of wheat.
Drinking Water The Associated Health Issues

Water, a vital nutrient but how much is necessary to maintain adequate body function? This column focuses on the new discussion challenging the old gold standard of eight glasses a day. Safety conc...
Dizziness after sports-related concussion: Can physiotherapists offer better treatment than just ‘physical and cognitive rest’?

Examination and treatment of concussed athletes is a complex endeavour. Three notable position papers: the International Conference on Concussion in Sport (Zurich) Consensus Statement,1 the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Guideline,2 and American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Position paper,3 advocate for a multifactorial assessment to diagnose sports-related concussion (‘concussion’ in this paper) and determine the degree of functional disturbance. These papers also provide guidelines to manage recovery, the cornerstone of which is cognitive and physical rest. Rest is a well-established practice pattern even though it has only very low-level evidence. Strikingly absent from concussion management are specific treatment strategies which are underpinned by anatomical-symptom correlates.4 ,5 Symptoms such as dizziness are very common among concussed individuals, present in nearly 80% of concussions,6 second only to headaches.3 For the most part after concussion, non-dizziness oriented symptoms are transient, whereas the natural course of recovery from dizziness often lingers, in some cases for years after the initial event.6 Considering the mechanism associated with concussion and …
Rates and Predictors of Rehospitalization Among Formerly Hospitalized Adolescents

OBJECTIVE: The authors examined rates and predictors of rehospitalization among 180 adolescents followed up for up to 10.3 years after discharge from an inpatient psychiatric unit. METHODS: In this prospective, naturalistic study, demographic variables, including gender, race, and age, and psychiatric variables, including diagnoses, prehospitalization suicide attempts, and previous hospitalizations, were examined as potential predictors of rehospitalization. Information about rehospitalizations was repeatedly assessed and verified with treatment records. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, 79 adolescents (44 percent) had one or more rehospitalizations. By six months after discharge, 19 percent of the adolescents had been rehospitalized. The mean time to first rehospitalization was estimated to be 5.7 years. Univariate analyses revealed significant differences between adolescents who were rehospitalized and those who were not in terms of age, presence of an affective disorder, and presence of a comorbid ...
Web-based interventions for youth internalizing problems: A systematic review

Objective To review published reports on Web-based treatment and prevention programs for depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention in children, adolescents, and emerging adults. Method A systematic search of the PsycINFO, PubMed, Medline, and Web of Science databases was conducted in December 2013. Programs were classified according to evidence-base level (Well-Established, Probably Efficacious, Possibly Efficacious, Experimental, and Of Questionable Efficacy). Results Of the 14,001 citations initially identified, 25 articles met inclusion criteria for Web-based interventions. These described 9 programs, of which 8 were Internet based and 1 was a mobile application. No Web-based interventions for suicide prevention were identified. Of the randomized controlled trials (n = 14) and open trials (n = 3) identified, 10 reported significant postintervention reductions in symptoms of depression and/or anxiety or improvements in diagnostic ratings, with small to large effect sizes. Many of these studies also reported significant improvements at follow-up. The methodological quality of the studies varied. Many programs were limited by their small sample sizes and use of waitlist or no-treatment control groups. Conclusion There is limited evidence for the effectiveness of Web-based interventions for youth depression and anxiety. Additional research and program development are needed to fill the current gaps in the literature.
Natural and Political Observations Mentioned in a Following Index, and Made Upon the Bills of Mortality

In extracting from Graunt’s observations we have tried to give the reader a feel both for Graunt’s imaginativeness and tenacity and for the materials he had to work with. We include both of his estimates for London’s population: the first (460,000) he found by attributing to the city one-fourteenth of a national population estimate of 6,440,000 not well derived. The second (384,000), from his more careful knowledge about London, is probably of the correct order of magnitude, and suggests a reasonable total population figure (5 to 5.5 million) (cf. Wrigley 1967, pp. 44-45). Graunt’s life table entries and his comments on London’s doubling time are not of this quality.
Islamic precepts and family planning: the perceptions of Jordanian religious leaders and their constituents.

Results: Eighty percent of men, 86% of women, 82% of male religious leaders and 98% of female religious leaders believe that family planning is in keeping with the tenets of Islam. Among religious leaders, 36% reported that they had preached about family planning in the year preceding the survey. Seventy-five percent of women and 62% of men in the general public said that they had spoken about family planning with their spouse, and 9% and 17%, respectively, reported having spoken with a religious leader On a scale of 0- 10 measuring agreement with statements regarding the benefits of family planning (with 10 being complete agreement), women averaged 9.4 and men 8.8, while male religious leaders averaged 6.5 and female religious leaders 7.2. Among the general public, 74 % of women and 58% of men said that deciding to practice contraception is a ]oint decision between husband and wife. About 90% of religious leaders agreed or agreed strongly with the statement that contraceptive decisions should be made jointly by husband and wife. Women were significantly more likely than men to believe that specific contraceptive methods are permitted under Islam, and male religious leaders were more likely than were men in the general population to find specific methods acceptable. Only 26% of men cited interpersonal communication as a source of family planning information, compared with 66% of women, 73% of male reilgious leaders and 89% of female religious leaders. Almost threequarters of men and women said they want to know more about family planning. Conclusion: Although Islamic religious leaders in Jordon cite different reasons than the general public to justify the use of contraceptives, they are as likely as others in the population to approve of family planning. International Family Planning Perspectives, 2000, 26(3):110-117 & 136 M v Xuslim religious leaders are often assumed to hold more conservative attitudes than the general population about family planning, yet a review of the literature finds no research that has specifically compared the two groups. Indeed, Muslim religious leaders' stance toward family planning is often misinterpreted. While they can be expected to refer to religious texts for guidance as they seek to interpret the acceptability of new ideas, religious leaders may prove no more opposed than other members of society to innovation, unless a new idea is perceived to contravene religious tenets. Muslim religious leaders in Jordan, who as members of social networks are intimately involved in the everyday lives of their congregations, probably share ways of thinking that are prevalent within their community. A social group can be expected to have a single worldview, yet the
Medical Utilization and Costs Associated with Statin Adherence in Medicaid Enrollees with Type 2 Diabetes

Background:Statin adherence is a serious problem in patients with hyperlipidemia. However, it is not clear whether statin adherence is associated with medical utilization or health-care costs.Objective:To study statin adherence and assess associated medical utilization and health-care costs in patients with type 2 diabetes, based on a national Medicaid database.Methods:A retrospective claims-based study was conducted using the records of patients with type 2 diabetes with comorbid hyperlipidemia who were continuously enrolled in Medicaid from January 2004 to December 2006. All data were drawn from MarketScan Medicaid Database, including inpatient, outpatient, and drug claims. The eligible patients starting statins in 2005 were followed for 1 year to measure medication use, hospitalization, outpatient visits, emergency department (ED) visits, and health-care costs based on Medicaid medical and drug claims. Adherence was measured by medication possession ratio (MPR). Multiple regression analyses were implem...