cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mood and personality: A search for the causal relationship1

Previous findings of correlations between mood and personality variables were noted. It was suggested that the establishment of a causal relationship was crucially important, not merely to the understanding of how mood is related to personality but to the conceptualization of mood as a source of error in personality measurement as well. A prior attempt to establish a causal role for mood failed, but may have done so for methodological reasons. The present study investigated the influence of a mood manipulation on personality measures. There was also an opportunity to replicate prior correlational findings independent of the effect of the mood manipulation. College students were asked to think of happy, sad, or affectively neutral events and then filled out several personality measures. A manipulation check confirmed that different moods were induced by this procedure. The prior correlations between mood and personality variables were replicated, but the mood manipulation did not affect any of the personality measures. The implications of these results for personality measurement and for the relation between mood and behavior were discussed.
Phasic and sustained fear are pharmacologically dissociable in rats.

Previous findings suggest differences in the neuroanatomical substrates of short- (seconds) vs longer-duration (minutes) fear responses. We now report that phasic and sustained fear can also be differentiated pharmacologically, based on their response to several treatments that either are or are not clinically effective anxiolytics. For these experiments, short- or long-duration clicker stimuli were paired with footshock. Acoustic startle amplitude was later measured in the absence of the clicker, or within seconds (phasic fear) or minutes (sustained fear) of its onset. Before testing, rats received a single injection of vehicle, the benzodiazepine chlordiazepoxide, the 5HT1A agonist and dopamine D2 antagonist buspirone, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine, or a 3-week treatment with either vehicle or fluoxetine. Chlordiazepoxide blocked sustained, but not phasic startle increases. Acute buspirone, which is not anxiolytic in human beings, did not affect sustained startle increases, but did disrupt phasic increases. Chronic fluoxetine blocked sustained startle increases and unreliably reduced phasic increases; acute fluoxetine affected neither. The results indicate that phasic and sustained fear responses can be pharmacologically dissociated, further validating this distinction, and suggest that sustained startle increases may be especially useful as anxiety models and anxiolytic screens.
Advances in long-term stroke prevention with antiplatelet therapy

Abstract Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and major disability. There is considerable evidence from randomized trials that antiplatelet therapy is effective in the secondary prevention of ischemic strokes. Aspirin, the most widely evaluated agent, has consistently been found to be effective. However, higher doses are no more effective than lower doses and are associated with a higher incidence of adverse events. Clopidogrel has been shown to be more effective than aspirin in preventing recurrent ischemic events in patients with atherosclerosis manifested by ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, or peripheral arterial disease. Ticlopidine has also been shown to be more effective than aspirin in the reduction of recurrent strokes and in the composite end point of stroke and death. Dipyridamole, in the sustained release formulation, in combination with aspirin, has been shown to be more effective than aspirin alone, particularly in the reduction of nonfatal strokes. Data from recent clinical trials has shown that there are new and effective treatment options available with antiplatelet therapy for the secondary prevention of ischemic stroke. Copyright © 2001 by National Stroke Association
A new specimen mounting system for scanning electron microscopy

SUMMARY A system of specimen mounting discs and holders has been developed for use in high vacuum. Discs are held in place with a tightly fitting cap, thus avoiding the use of adhesives. The mounting discs are especially convenient for biological preparations, are much less expensive than conventional SEM ‘stubs’ and are easier to handle and store.
Study of an Analytical Method for Hexavalent Chromium

The diphenylcarbazide colorimetric method was evaluated by analyzing spiked PVC filters prepared by an AIHA-accredited consultant laboratory for chromium (VI). All seven participating laboratories received the samples and performed the analyses at the same time. Three laboratories simultaneously tested three alternative analytical procedures. Reduced amounts of chromium (VI) were found by both the consultant and participating laboratories when using the test procedure and one of the alternative methods. Two of the alternative analytical methods, both of which involve an alkaline extraction procedure, provided higher recoveries and more precise values for the test filters. It appears that the alkaline extraction procedure may be more appropriate for occupational health samples taken in steel industry environments which may include several interferents. Suggestions are made for further studies to determine the most appropriate analytical method.
Contamination in the MACHO data set and the puzzle of Large Magellanic Cloud microlensing

In a recent series of three papers, Belokurov, Evans & Le Du and Evans & Belokurov reanalysed the MACHO collaboration data and gave alternative sets of microlensing events and an alternative optical depth to microlensing towards the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Although these authors examined less than 0.2 per cent of the data, they reported that by using a neural net program they had reliably selected a better (and smaller) set of microlensing candidates. Estimating the optical depth from this smaller set, they claimed that the MACHO collaboration overestimated the optical depth by a significant factor and that the MACHO microlensing experiment is consistent with lensing by known stars in the Milky Way and LMC. As we show below, the analysis by these authors contains several errors, and as a result their conclusions are incorrect. Their efficiency analysis is in error, and since they did not search through the entire MACHO data set, they do not know how many microlensing events their neural net would find in the data nor what optical depth their method would give. Examination of their selected events suggests that their method misses low signal-to-noise ratio events and thus would have lower efficiency than the MACHO selection criteria. In addition, their method is likely to give many more false positives (non-lensing events identified as lensing). Both effects would increase their estimated optical depth. Finally, we note that the EROS discovery that LMC event 23 is a variable star reduces the MACHO collaboration estimates of optical depth and the Macho halo fraction by around 8 per cent, and does open the question of additional contamination. Ke yw ords: gravitational lensing ‐ Galaxy: halo ‐ Magellanic Clouds ‐ dark matter.
A simple probe for DNA accessibility in chromatin.

When DNA is treated with Cu(II) and then heated, the melting temperature (Tm) of the DNA is dramatically decreased (8). The Cu(II) binds to the DNA in such a way as to destabilize the double helix and help to break the hydrogen bonds between the bases. When soluble chromatin is similarly treated with Cu(II) and heated, the Tm is unaffected. Apparently the Cu(II) cannot penetrate the chromatin structure and thus cannot initiate the DNA destabilization process. However, when H-1 histone is removed from the chromatin by affinity chromatography, subsequent treatment with Cu(II) does lead to a lowered Tm when the chromatin is heated. This Tm lowering is also achieved by two less drastic techniques that do not remove histone H-1, but decrease the affinity of the H-1 to the DNA: (1) a mild acetylation procedure that specifically modifies either 2 or 4 epsilon-amino groups of lysines on the H-1 histone, and (2) reaction with phosphate-binding divalent metal ions, e.g., Mg(II), Mn(II), or Co(II). Apparently, removal of H-1 or decreased affinity of H-1 for DNA increases the accessibility of the DNA to the Cu(II). This phenomenon suggests a very simple qualitative probe for the degree of structural change in chromatin produced by a change in the stability of the DNA-H-1 interaction.
An electroglottographic study of vocal vibrato

Summary This study investigated vocal vibrato in trained singers through the use of electroglottography (EGG). Ten adult trained singers (7 women, 3 men) were each required to produce four singing tasks. The tasks involved the production of / a / during an ascending interval of a third in both chest and falsetto registers, once with and once without vibrato. Audio and EGG output during these tasks were directly digitized for subsequent analysis. Results pertaining to changes in the EGG waveform as a function of the singer's gender, the vocal register and the vibrato condition are discussed. A major finding was the apparent absence of consistent, distinctive differentiation in the EGG waveforms when comparing the vibrato and vibrato-inhibited conditions for the majority of subjects. Possible explanations for the majority findings, as well as comment on the feasibility of the EGG for investigating vocal vibrato, are discussed.
DNA damage signaling in early Xenopus embryos.

In Xenopus embryos, the first 12 cell division cycles before the midblastula transition (MBT) feature rapid and synchronous alternations between DNA replication and mitosis. Moreover, embryos at this stage lack checkpoints that halt the cell cycle in response to DNA damage, whereas introduction of a threshold amount of undamaged plasmid or sperm DNA allows a DNA damage checkpoint response to be activated. In a search for the underlying mechanism, we recently discovered that the checkpoint signal initiated by damaged DNA is enhanced by the undamaged threshold DNA. Thus developmental regulation of the cell cycle checkpoint is achieved at the 12th cleavage divisions by the maternally programmed increase in the DNA-to-cytoplasmic ratio. In contrast, the apoptotic response to DNA damage is not enabled in pre-MBT embryos merely by providing a threshold DNA-to-cytoplasmic ratio. Interestingly, damaged DNA triggers changes on physically separated undamaged chromatin through release of an ATM-dependent soluble che...
The Affiliations of U.S. Academic Librarians in the Most Prominent Journals of Science, Engineering, Agricultural, and Medical Librarianship, 2000–2010

After reviewing the literature of the differing approaches to evaluating the output of academic librarians and ranking their employing universities, the authors adapted features of the most widely cited study, Stephen J. Wiberley, Julie M. Hurd, and Ann C. Weller 2006 (WHW 2006), which covers a wide assortment of journals, to compile instead the affiliations of college and university authors in articles published between 2000–2010 in the journals most favored by American science, engineering, medical, and agricultural librarians. These journals included Science and Technology Libraries, Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship, Journal of Agricultural and Food Information, Journal of the Medical Library Association, and Medical Reference Services Quarterly. Unlike many previous studies, it emphasizes the number of papers published, not the number of librarians it took to write them. The study demonstrates that the WHW 2006 top twenty did rather well in this more narrowly focused science-oriented jou...
Evidence that nucleotide sequence identity is a requirement for meiotic crossing over within the mouse Eb recombinational hot spot

Meiotic recombination in the mouse is sometimes restricted to specific chromosomal sites. For example, when recombinants within the I region of the mouse major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are examined, the breakpoints between standard alleles can usually be mapped to the Eb gene. DNA sequence analysis of five cases of meiotic crossing over associated with this gene suggests that the recombinational hot spot may be confined to large regions of nucleotide identity located within the second intron of the Eb gene.
Definitive therapy for prostate carcinoma: Mayo Clinic results at 15 years after treatment

Abstract Data on long-term follow-up for definitive therapy of prostate cancer are limited, especially for radiation therapy. Either surgery or radiation was used in 322 patients for treatment with curative intent, and follow-up was for a minimum of 15 years. Overall survival was nearly identical to that in an age-matched cohort. 5-, 10-, and 15-year recurrence-free survival rates were 77%, 63% and 53%, respectively. Grade and stage were significant prognostic factors for both recurrence and survival. More than 60% of the initial failures were local, and more than 25% of the failures occurred after 10 years. Radiation therapy was used in 137 patients with clinically staged disease. Radical retropubic prostatectomy and perineal prostatectomy were performed in 133 and 44 patients, respectively. In this group, pathological staging was used. Survival rates for surgically treated patients were better than those in the cohort population. In conclusion, overall long-term follow-up demonstrates that definitive tr...
An impact theory for Doppler and pressure broadening—II. Atomic and molecular systems

Abstract A semiclassical theory for Doppler and pressure broadening in neutral gases is derived as a limiting case of a more general quantum mechanical theory. This theory is compared with other semiclassical theories and methods of calculation are discussed.
Physeal growth retardation leads to correction of intracarpal angular deviations as well as physeal valgus deformity.

Summary Retrospective analysis of the radiographs of horses with carpal valgus, presented to the Iowa State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital from 1987–1996, were used to compare 2 methods of geometric analysis for finding the total angle of deviation. The pivot point angle method and the individual joint angle method were found to be comparable for determining the total angle of deviation. The individual joint angle method was used to analyse individual carpal joint angles and physis angle in joints with carpal valgus, as well as the changes that occurred in response to surgical correction. Multiple joint involvement was common with carpal valgus; and surgical manipulation caused a change in angle at all joints. Use of the individual joint angle method for evaluating carpal valgus may aid the surgeon in making a more accurate prognosis.
Cosmic microwave background anisotropy window functions revisited

The primary results of most observations of cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy are estimates of the angular power spectrum averaged through some broadband, called band powers. These estimates are used to produce constraints on cosmological parameters due to all CMB observations. Essential to this estimation of cosmological parameters is the calculation of the expected band power for a given experiment, given a theoretical power spectrum. Here we derive the {open_quotes}band power{close_quotes} window function which should be used for this calculation and point out that it is not equivalent to the window function used to calculate the variance. This important distinction has been absent from much of the literature: the variance window function is often used as the band power window function. We discuss the validity of this assumed equivalence and the role of window functions for experiments that constrain the power in {ital multiple} bands, and summarize a prescription for reporting experimental results. The analysis methods detailed here are applied in a companion paper to three years of data from the medium scale anisotropy measurement. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
Crystal symmetry lowering at an order-disorder transition.

Neutron diffraction measurements in the high-temperature disordered phase of NaSn show that the transition to this phase from the ordered low-temperature phase is associated with a lowering of crystal symmetry which is unique among disordering transitions. The structure refinement reveals intimate correlations between the Na{sup +} cation positions and Sn{sub 4}{sup 4{minus}} polyanion orientations in the disordered phase, and indicates that the cation migration takes place along convoluted channels in the crystal. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
A generalized modified Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation for interfacial wave propagation near the critical depth level

Abstract Propagation of interfacial waves near the critical depth level in a two-layer fluid system is investigated. We first present a generalized modified Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (gmKP) equation for weakly nonlinear and dispersive interfacial waves propagating predominantly in the longitudinal direction of a slowly rotating channel with gradually varying topography and sidewalls. For certain type of non-rotating channels, we find two families of periodic-wave solutions, which include solitarywave solutions and a shock-like solution as limiting cases, to the variable-coefficient gmKP equation. We also show that in this situation the gmKP equation has only unidirectional N -soliton solutions and does not allow soliton resonance to occur. In a rotating uniform channel, our small-time asymptotic analysis and numerical study of the gmKP equation show that, depending on the relative importance of the cubic nonlinearity to quadratic nonlinearity, the wavefront of a Kelvin solitary wave may curve either forward or backward, trailed by a small train of Poincare waves. When these two nonlinearities almost balance each other, the wavefront becomes almost straight-crested across the channel, and the trailing Poincare waves diminish.
Electronic Properties of OMVPE Grown films of YBa2Cu3O7-δ on 1′ LaAlO3 Substrates

Films of YBa2CU3O7-δ have been grown on 1″ LaAlO3 by OMVPE utilizing M(tmhd)n (M = Ba, Cu: n = 2; M = Y: n = 3; tmhd = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5-dionato) as the source materials in a cold wall, vertical rotating disk reactor. The resultant films were characterized by SEM, XRD, Tc, Jc, and surface profilometry measurements. Relative to laser ablated thin films, the surface morphology was determined to be virtually featureless. In-situ depositions at substrate temperatures of <700°C, employing nitrous oxide as the oxidizing reagent, produced annular irregularities in the electronic properties of these films. The highest quality was observed near the film's center, with a marked decay evident toward the exterior 7 mm perimeter of the coated wafer.
ITP in the 21st Century

Immune (or idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is commonly encountered by the practicing hematologist. Clinical management decisions have traditionally been guided by individual training and past experience. Input from the literature has been more from observational reports of case series than from scientific results of hypothesis-driven research. Practice guidelines and several surveys of clinical hematology practice have highlighted important questions in the field, and in the past 5 to 10 years both clinical and laboratory investigations have produced valuable new information. Thrombopoietin levels are normal or only slightly increased in ITP, and stimulation of thrombopoiesis appears to be a promising new therapeutic approach in clinical trials. Chronic, refractory ITP in children or adults remains a challenge for the hematologist. It is this group that has the greatest risk of serious bleeding, particularly among the elderly. The anti-B-cell monoclonal antibody, anti-CD20, has shown benefit in phase I/II clinical trials in patients who had failed a number of previous therapeutic modalities. The standard for clinical research into therapy for ITP has become evidence-based medicine, and more prospective, randomized clinical trials are being completed by multi-institutional study groups.
Kinetics and Active Fraction Determination of a Protease Enzyme Immobilized on Functionalized Membranes: Mathematical Modeling and Experimental Results

A detailed study on the performance of a membrane bioreactor is presented, considering diffusion reaction models with product adsorption and structure-function correlations. The enzyme papain was utilized for experimental investigation both in the homogeneous state and on a modified polysulfone (MPS) membrane. Variation of enzyme loading on the membrane and enzyme concentration in the solution state depicted decreasing activity with increasing loading. The performance of the bioreactor was simulated using a diffusion reaction model within a recirculation loop. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was utilized to study the conformational changes of the active site of papain immobilized on the MPS membrane. Two models were applied to correlate the structure and function of the biocatalyst, based on loading (kinetics) and EPR (structure). The active fractions, I, determined from the two models were 0.29 and in the range 0.25-0.3, respectively. The intrinsic kinetics (Vmax) for the immobilized enzyme as determined by the correlations were in the range 101121 Imol/(g‚min), compared to 111 Imol/(g‚min) for the homogeneous enzyme. This proves that the immobilized enzyme kinetics do approach homogeneous kinetics for papain on the MPS membrane, when corrected for adsorption and conformational changes.
Pre-attack symptomatology and temperament as predictors of children's responses to the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Background: The aims of this study were to assess the psychological response of children following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, DC and to examine prospective predictors of children's post-attack responses. Method: Children's responses were assessed in a community sample of children in Seattle, Washington, participating in an ongoing study. Symptomatology and temperament assessed prior to the attacks were examined as prospective predictors of post-attack post-traumatic stress (PTS), anxiety, depression and externalizing problems. Results: Children demonstrated PTS symptoms and worries at levels comparable to those in children directly experiencing disasters, with 77% of children reporting being worried, 68% being upset by reminders, and 39% having upsetting thoughts. The most common PTS symptom cluster was re-experiencing, and 8% of children met criteria consistent with PTSD. African-American children reported more avoidant PTS symptoms and being more upset by the attacks than European-American children. Girls reported being more upset than boys. Prior internalizing, externalizing, social competence and self-esteem were related to post-attack PTS; and child inhibitory control, assessed prior to the 9/11 attacks, demonstrated a trend towards an association with post-attack PTS symptoms controlling for prior levels of symptomatology. PTS predicted child-report anxiety and conduct problem symptoms at follow-up, approximately 6 months after 9/11. Conclusions: Children experiencing a major disaster at a distance or indirectly through media exposure demonstrated worries and PTS symptoms suggesting that communities need to attend to children's mental health needs in response to national or regional disasters. Pre-disaster symptomatology or low self-regulation may render children more vulnerable in response to a disaster, and immediate post-disaster responses predict subsequent symptomatology. These variables might be used in the identification of children in need of intervention.
Low-energy forging of aluminide intermetallics

This paper presents a new low-energy method for forging intermetallics during the high temperatures achieved in reaction synthesis from elemental powders. Iron aluminide (FeAl) was successfully forged at considerably lower operating temperatures than conventionally used. The advantages and potential of the approach are discussed. 2002 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Review of fracture in adhesive joints considering rocket motor application

The paper presents a review of existing research on fracture problems in adhesively bonded joints. Both the theoretical background and studies dealing with specific design problems are discussed. Investigations that employed experimental techniques to detect fracture are also included. The work that addresses effects of such important phenomena as residual thermal stresses and viscoelasticity is analyzed. Bond fracture in solid rocket motors is discussed to illustrate an array of problems facing a designer of adhesive joints. Difficulties associated with the analysis of adhesive joints in solid rocket motors are discussed. Nomenclature b = bielastic constant /!, /2 = functions dependent on material properties, geometry, and loading KI = stress intensity for opening mode I, MPa m1/2 KH = stress intensity for sliding mode II, MPa m1/2 Kic, KUc = critical stress intensities for modes I and II, MPa m1/2 v = Poisson's ratio Vi = Poisson's ratio of material with lower modulus of elasticity ax = stress in the x direction, MPa az = normal out-of-plane stress, MPa
The relation of signal/noise to magnetic field strength and sample size in magic-angle-spinning solids experiments

Previous discussions of sensitivity in NMR (1-3) have not considered the signalto-noise ratio from solids during magic-angle-spinning (MAS) experiments. This note modifies earlier treatments to address the importance of static field and spinning parameters in MAS solids experiments. The signal to noise (S/N) considered here is the ratio of signal height to noise height in the finite Fourier transform of the filtered, apodized, and digitized coil voltage. In other words it is the S/N in the finished spectrum commonly examined by chemists. There are several important considerations in spectroscopy which will be ignored here or assumed not to affect S/N. Losses in conductive samples and probe dielectric materials are not considered. These losses may reduce S/N at high fields. Field dependence of T, will be ignored and only S/N for a fixed number of acquisitions assessed. S/N achieved in a fixed time is a more relevant but much more diI5cult problem. Since T, increases with field this effect also makes the real benefits of high field less than the estimates derived here. Although there is an optimum number of turns for a given coil, this number is ignored. Doubling the number of turns, as one might do if Ho is changed, doubles the induced EMF and conductor length but halves the conductor width. This quadruples the ac resistance therefore doubling the noise voltage as well as the signal voltage. For simplicity, one may as well consider (but not use) single-turn coils for all cases. Spinner technology limits either the Mach number or the stress in the rotor material. In either case a maximum surface velocity, equal to the product (w,,~,,) (diameter) results. The shape of the coil and the filling factor are both considered independent of coil size. Since S/N does not vary much across a spectrum, no generality is lost by assuming that the spectrometer is tuned to the Larmor frequency of the sample. The offset frequency is then zero and all the phase factors in the Fourier transform are unity, simplifying [ 11, the basic expression for S/N:
Government Employees Working Hard or Hardly Working

Are government employees lazier than private-sector employees? Drawing from theories of work motivation and public service motivation, this article examines three public-private differences that might produce different levels of work effort in the two sectors. First, government and business may offer different extrinsic and intrinsic rewards. Second, public and private workers may seek different rewards. Third, public and private workers may differ in per- sonal characteristics that predict work effort. Using 1989 and 1998 data from the General Social Survey, we find that government employees reported slightly higher work effort than those in the private sector. Public- and private-sec- tor workers differ in the value they place on extrinsic and intrinsic motivators, in the rewards their jobs offer, and in some personal characteristics. Government jobs offering interesting work and opportunities to help others, com- bined with the greater age of public employees, explain most of the sectoral differences in self-reported work effort.
Sample size determination for the false discovery rate

Motivation: There is not a widely applicable method to determine the sample size for experiments basing statistical significance on the false discovery rate (FDR). Results: We propose and develop the anticipated FDR (aFDR) as a conceptual tool for determining sample size. We derive mathematical expressions for the aFDR and anticipated average statistical power. These expressions are used to develop a general algorithm to determine sample size. We provide specific details on how to implement the algorithm for a k-group (k ≥ 2) comparisons. The algorithm performs well for k-group comparisons in a series of traditional simulations and in a real-data simulation conducted by resampling from a large, publicly available dataset. Availability: Documented S-plus and R code libraries are freely available from www.stjuderesearch.org/depts/biostats Contact: stanley.pounds@stjude.org Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
New insights into the synergism of nucleoside analogs with radiotherapy

Nucleoside analogs have been frequently used in combination with radiotherapy in the clinical setting, as it has long been understood that inhibition of DNA repair pathways is an important means by which many nucleoside analogs synergize. Recent advances in our understanding of the structure and function of deoxycytidine kinase (dCK), a critical enzyme required for the anti-tumor activity for many nucleoside analogs, have clarified the mechanistic role this kinase plays in chemo- and radio-sensitization. A heretofore unrecognized role of dCK in the DNA damage response and cell cycle machinery has helped explain the synergistic effect of these agents with radiotherapy. Since most currently employed nucleoside analogs are primarily activated by dCK, these findings lend fresh impetus to efforts focused on profiling and modulating dCK expression and activity in tumors. In this review we will briefly review the pharmacology and biochemistry of the major nucleoside analogs in clinical use that are activated by dCK. This will be followed by discussions of recent advances in our understanding of dCK activation via post-translational modifications in response to radiation and current strategies aimed at enhancing this activity in cancer cells.
Virtual communities and multimedia virtual conference-an ambassador-based approach

The concepts of virtual communities are introduced and an ambassador-based approach to virtual conference is presented. While the client-server model is the dominating model for distributed systems design and development, we observe that the bilateral nature of the client-server model in message passing is sometimes a barrier to flexible cooperation and collaboration among a virtual community (distributed human agents and computer agents), especially for collaboration in a WAN environment. The ambassador model provides a complement to the client-server model. The new model is messenger-based. It allows multimedia virtual agents or messengers (servers/clients+data+social protocols) to be maintained and dispatched; it avoid unnecessary multimedia synchronization over a WAN; and it enables unilateral social protocol design and selection. We present a prototype multimedia virtual conference environment and demonstrate, with examples, a few valuable features pertaining to the ambassador-based approach to multimedia collaboration environment. >
Use of cytokine enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay as an immune monitoring tool in solid organ transplantation

Abstract The development of surrogate markers to predict outcome and guide therapeutic interventions after solid organ transplantation is sorely needed by the transplant community. The cytokine enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay is one such candidate marker that can accurately detect the frequency and cytokine profile of peripheral alloantigen-reactive T lymphocytes in human allograft recipients at high resolution. Published studies provide strongly suggestive evidence that the frequency of donor-reactive interferon γ ELISPOTs in the the peripheral blood of renal transplant recipients directly correlates with the future risk of acute rejection and chronic graft injury. The assay may additionally have utility for directing minimization of toxic immunosuppressants and identifying patients tolerant to their allografts. It is envisioned that ELISPOT-based immune monitoring, complemented by use of several additional surrogate markers, will ultimately provide clinicians with necessary tools to optimize therapy so as to prolong transplant survival with minimal toxicity.
Amino Acid Flux Across the Gastrointestinal Tract and Liver of Calves

Abstract Fluxes of peptide and of free AA in plasma and blood cells were quantified across the gastrointestinal tract and liver of six growing Holstein steers (136kg). Calves were fed hourly, and blood was obtained simultaneously from the aorta, portal vein, and hepatic vein cannulas on 1 d between d 9 and 12 postsurgery and again following 72h without feed. Blood flow was determined by p -aminohippuric acid infusion. Peptide AA accounted for the greatest concentration of AA in arterial blood of all calves. There was a net flux of free AA in plasma across the tract, and lack of feed reduced the magnitude of the flux. Glutamine and glutamate were the only free AA in plasma with a negative flux across the tract in fed calves. Alanine accounted for over 14% of the total tract flux of free AA in plasma of fed calves, Hepatic removal of free AA in plasma increased after feed deprivation. Flux of free AA in blood cells was negative across the tract of fed calves but to a lesser extent in unfed calves. The hepatic flux of free AA in blood cells offset the negative tract flux, thus resulting in no net splanchnic output of free AA in blood cells by calves. Peptide AA flux across the tract was 2.5 times (fed) to 7.2 times (unfed) greater than free AA flux. Net splanchnic output of peptide AA was 7 times the magnitude (738 vs. 92 g/d) of the net splanchnic output of free AA in plasma. Peptides with molecular mass from 500 to 1500Da accounted for the largest flux of peptide AA across the tract. Quantitatively, peptides appeared to be involved extensively in interorgan transport and may be a substantial form of absorbed AA in calves.
Time for a Thorough Evaluation of Patient-Centered Care

Patient-centered care is now the goal for virtually all healthcare systems, but what is it, and how is it measured? The Institute of Medicine (IOM) considers care to be patient centered if it, is “respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs, and values and ensures that patient values guide all clinical decisions.”1 The IOM further separates patient-centered care into 8 dimensions, including respect for patient preferences, information, medication communication, coordination of care, emotional support, physical comfort, involvement of the family, continuity and transition, and access to care. The dominant metric used to measure patient-centered care is patient satisfaction, which is the measure that is most likely to be improved in trials of interventions aimed at 1 of these 8 dimensions.2 Given the past indifference to patient satisfaction, the paradigm shift toward the patient’s view is a welcome change. Hospitals and health care systems increasingly reward providers who obtain the highest rates of patient satisfaction. For many hospitals and clinics, it is their only measure of quality with a financial incentive. However, patient-centered care is only one aspect of quality of care as defined by the IOM.1 Other aspects include safety, effectiveness, efficiency, and equity. In the drive toward 100% patient satisfaction, it is possible that these other aspects of quality may suffer. Is the race to the top of patient satisfaction in the best interest of the health and well-being of the population? Without a thorough evaluation of patient-centered interventions, we cannot optimize the use of our limited resources to provide the best care for everyone. One common interpretation of patient-centered care is delivering the care patients want, when they want it, and where they want it. It can be argued that the epitome of such care was delivered to Michael Jackson.3 His personal …
Conducting a Statewide Dual-Purpose Program for Pesticide Applicators and County Extension Agents

The University of Florida Cooperative Extension conducted a statewide program with a dual role during 2013 and 2014 to enhance efficiency. The program provided in-service training to county Extension agents and provided continuing education to meet requirements needed by licensed pesticide applicators. Using Polycom distance technology, the event was hosted by various county Extension offices and Research and Education Centers. Pre- and post-test results indicate that participants increased their knowledge. A survey administered showed a positive perception of the value and satisfaction with such a program and helped to identify future programming needs.
Biology and Detection of Fungal Pathogens of Humans and Plants

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews fungi, their taxonomy, growth, reproduction, pathogenicity, epidemiology, detection, and identification. Fungi have greatly shaped the history of humankind. However, not all fungi are beneficial; some fungi are harmful pathogens and can cause diseases. They represent an important group of pathogens that significantly impact human and plant health and are responsible for the majority of plant diseases and important agents of infectious diseases of immuno compromised humans. Kingdom Fungi include four phyla: Ascomycota (sac fungi), Basidiomycota (club and mushroom fungi; rusts; and smuts), Chytridiomycota (chytrids), and Zygomycota (bread molds), and are often referred to as the “true fungi” or Eumycota. Disease is the result of an interaction between a pathogen and a susceptible host within a favorable environment. Repeated dispersal and cycles of infection on the same plant are common attributes of many plant pathogens. In contrast, fungal diseases of humans are usually not communicable. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) sequence based methods allow a closer examination of the ecology and epidemiology of human and plant pathogens. Although databases are useful in identifying a wide range of fungi, in certain instances, these available databases may not be sufficient to place a DNA sequence within a previously sampled genus or species. A powerful tool for the identification of fungi is the detection of DNA sequence that varies from multiple regions of the fungal genome coupled with appropriate statistical analysis of the data. As newer techniques —such as; PCR, micro fluidic methods, mitochondrial, and nuclear DNA sequence data are available, rapid identification of genetically distinct individuals will be possible, facilitating fungal forensics.
Assessment and Treatment of Neuromuscular Disorders

Extensive research on the efficacy of behavioral interventions in neuromuscular disorders has shown that behavioral techniques are effective in improving neuromuscular control across a wide variety of disorders. However, it has been the trend in research with neuromuscular disorders to apply the same or similar procedures across diagnoses, age levels, and cognitive levels. Less attention has been paid to the differential effectiveness of treatment as a function of patient characteristics. Treatments have typically been developed for use with adult subjects of normal intelligence with few reported cases of the application of these procedures to the developmentally disabled.
Bed Conduction Computation for Thermal Models

The accuracy of any water quality model is sensitive to the accuracy of the thermal model upon which it must depend. Historically, it has been argued that the exchange of energy between water and a stream or reservoir bed is small enough to be neglected in a temperature model. This conclusion was originally reached when considering the energy budget of lakes and reservoirs.
Draft Genome Sequence of Erwinia billingiae OSU19-1, Isolated from a Pear Tree Canker

ABSTRACT Plant-associated Erwinia include pathogenic and nonpathogenic species. We report the 5.6-Mb genome sequence of Erwinia billingiae OSU19-1, isolated from a canker on a pear tree inoculated with Erwinia amylovora. OSU19-1 and a closely related European isolate, E. billingiae Eb661T, share many similarities including 40 kb of plasmid sequence.
Significance of CD10-positive clonal B cell populations identified by flow cytometry in histologically benign gastric biopsies

Historically, the presence of clonal B cell populations has been associated with malignancy in lymphoid proliferations. However, several studies have demonstrated that clonal B cell populations can be present in histologically reactive settings, but this has not been described in gastric samples. These studies have primarily shown clonality using molecular methods, with only a few studies showing clonality by flow cytometry. We evaluated 16 histologically benign gastric biopsies with CD10+ B cell populations identified by flow cytometry (13 clonal, 3 with kappa skew) and reviewed the morphology, endoscopic findings, and clinical course. Although the presence of clonal populations initially raised a diagnostic possibility of lymphoma in each case, morphologic examination supported a non-neoplastic reactive process. The CD10+ B cell populations typically demonstrated increased or slightly increased CD38 (88 %), increased or slightly increased CD20 (81 %), decreased surface light-chain expression (69 %), normal CD19 (94 %), and those that were studied (n = 12) were BCL-2 negative or indeterminate by flow cytometry. Polyclonal B cells were present, and the CD10+ B cell population comprised less than 50 % of the B cells in all cases. The available clinical information revealed no evidence of lymphoma in all 16 cases (follow-up ranging from 2 months to 10 years). The presence of a CD10+ B cell clone (or light-chain skew) by flow cytometry in a gastric biopsy is not specific for lymphoid neoplasia and should be interpreted in the context of other immunophenotypic features as well as clinical and morphologic data.
Women in Parole: Gendered Adaptations of Female Parole Agents in California

More women than ever are present today in correctional occupations. Women have been promoted to higher ranks, in part due to structural changes that have granted women legitimate access to promotio...
Analytical and Numerical Methods to Model Anchor Losses in 65-MHz AlN Contour Mode Resonators

This paper presents and experimentally validates two different approaches to describe the quality factor ( $Q$ ) due to anchor losses in 65-MHz aluminum nitride (AlN) contour mode resonators (CMRs). The first method is an approach that can be considered qualitative in nature, as it consists of a simplified analytical model that assumes quasi-static anchor conditions and a semi-infinite substrate. Despite its simplicity, it effectively provides designers with some guidelines on how to layout resonator anchors. The second approach is quantitative and consists of a numerical technique that can be considered as an alternative to the use of perfectly matched layers (PMLs). The new finite-element method imposes fixed-constraint (FC) boundary conditions at the edges of the released regions, and the $Q$ is calculated as the ratio of strain energy in both resonator and anchors and the total acoustic energy transferred to the substrate. The two approaches (analytical and numerical) are experimentally validated through measurements of 216 AlN CMRs operating at their fundamental resonance frequency (around 65 MHz). The proposed numerical approach is also compared with the results obtained using PML. This comparison shows that the FC technique has a similar accuracy to PML in predicting $Q$ , but it is superior to the latter when reflections from the clamped boundaries become relevant. [2015-0336]
Surface-induced changes in the conformation and glucan production of glucosyltransferase adsorbed on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite.

Glucosyltransferases (Gtfs) from S. mutans play critical roles in the development of virulent oral biofilms associated with dental caries disease. Gtfs adsorbed to the tooth surface produce glucans that promote local microbial colonization and provide an insoluble exopolysaccharides (EPS) matrix that facilitates biofilm initiation. Moreover, agents that inhibit the enzymatic activity of Gtfs in solution often have reduced or no effects on surface-adsorbed Gtfs. This study elucidated the mechanisms responsible for the differences in functionality that GtfB exhibits in solution vs surface-adsorbed. Upon adsorption to planar fused-quartz substrates, GtfB displayed a 37% loss of helices and 36% increase of β-sheets, as determined by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, and surface-induced conformational changes were more severe on substrates modified with CH3- and NH2-terminated self-assembled monolayers. GtfB also underwent substantial conformation changes when adsorbing to hydroxyapatite (HA) microspheres,...
Antibiotic Prophylaxis and Resistance in Surgical Site Infection After Immediate Tissue Expander Reconstruction of the Breast.

BackgroundA recent survey of plastic surgeons showed that the majority prescribed prophylactic antibiotics after hospital discharge for breast reconstruction. There is no clinical evidence that this practice reduces surgical site infection (SSI) after immediate tissue expander breast reconstruction.
Ultrathin Free-Standing Bombyx mori Silk Nanofibril Membranes.

We report a new ultrathin filtration membrane prepared from silk nanofibrils (SNFs), directly exfoliated from natural Bombyx mori silk fibers to retain structure and physical properties. These membranes can be prepared with a thickness down to 40 nm with a narrow distribution of pore sizes ranging from 8 to 12 nm. Typically, 40 nm thick membranes prepared from SNFs have pure water fluxes of 13 000 L h–1 m–2 bar–1, more than 1000 times higher than most commercial ultrathin filtration membranes and comparable with the highest water flux reported previously. The commercial membranes are commonly prepared from polysulfone, poly(ether sulfone), and polyamide. The SNF-based ultrathin membranes exhibit efficient separation for dyes, proteins, and colloids of nanoparticles with at least a 64% rejection of Rhodamine B. This broad-spectrum filtration membrane would have potential utility in applications such as wastewater treatment, nanotechnology, food industry, and life sciences in part due to the protein-based m...