cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Online Course on Cyberphysical Systems with Remote Access to Robotic Devices

The objective of this paper is to present an approach and experiences with introducing robotic devices accessible online to a course on Cyberphysical Systems in an undergraduate Software Engineering program. A closer look at both technologies, online labs and cyberphysical systems education, reveals that they are not in sync. Remote labs have embraced a wide variety of science and engineering disciplines, but they are not popular in software engineering. On the other hand, software engineering education, being crucial to the development of cyberphysical systems has not focused on such systems by any measure. This project and paper aim at addressing this gap.
Acetaminophen Reduces Distrust in Individuals With Borderline Personality Disorder Features

People with borderline personality disorder (BPD) tend to distrust others. We hypothesized that acetaminophen might reduce distrust in people with high BPD features because disordered affective res...
Fluorescence Studies of Ternary Complexes of Liver Alcohol Dehydrogenase

Investigations concerning the binding and coordination of alcohols in the active site of liver alcohol dehydrogenase (LADH) have long been of interest (Klinman, 1981; Petterson, 1986; Pocker, 1989). These investigations have yielded valuable information about the nature of catalysis effected by zinc metalloenzymes. Such studies, however, have been limited by the fact that neither NAD+ nor most simple alcohols possess a convenient chromophore for monitoring complex formation.
Accounting and Small Business Profitability

We exploit survey data from the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics to investigate the role of accounting in the likelihood that a small business more quickly achieves and maintains positive operating cash flow (profitability). We examine several potential aspects of accounting including the entrepreneur’s: 1) accounting background, 2) intent to use various financial statements and projections, and 3) intent to use professional accountants. We find that entrepreneurs with an accounting background are more likely to achieve profitability. Perhaps more importantly, we document that the intended use of certain statements (e.g., income statements) and projections (e.g., break-even analyses) are associated with small business profitability. However, these statements and projections are only associated with future profitability for entrepreneurs with an accounting background, suggesting that the benefits of these statements primarily accrue to entrepreneurs who have an understanding of accounting. Consistent with this notion, we fail to find evidence that the use of professional accountants is associated with small business profitability. Combined, our evidence suggests various aspects of accounting are associated with profitability in the largely unregulated environment where small businesses operate.
Transport Phenomena Applied to Sludge Dewatering

Sludge dewatering is examined and treated as a flow of liquid (filtrate) through a nonrigid (deforming) saturated flocculent porous medium. A flocculent porous medium model is developed and its one-dimensional mathematical description is presented. It is necessary to know two physical characteristics of sludge to use this model for the description of sludge dewatering; the modulus of linear compressibility (consolidation characteristic) and the hydraulic conductivity (filtration characteristic). The feasibility of their measurement is demonstrated in the experimental portion of the paper.
Toleration games: compensatory growth by plants in response to enemy attack is an evolutionarily stable strategy

Damage to plants from natural enemies is a ubiquitous feature of the natural world. Accordingly, plants have evolved a variety of strategies to deal with attack from enemies including the ability to simply tolerate attack. Tolerance often involves some form of compensatory response, such as the regrowth of tissues following damage. While ecological models of defence are common, there has been less effort to make predictions about the evolutionary stability of tolerance. Here, we present and experimentally test a game theoretic model of tolerance to herbivory. Plants in the model have a vector strategy which includes both root and shoot production, and herbivores in the model have a scalar strategy which is time spent foraging. The evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) is the set of root growth, shoot growth and herbivore foraging which simultaneously maximizes all player's fitness. Compensatory growth is not guaranteed, but it may emerge as an ESS if it maximizes plant fitness. We also experimentally tested the model predictions using wheat and simulated herbivory by clipping 0, 15, 30, 45 or 60 % of shoot production, and measured root, shoot and fruit production at senescence. The model predicted that compensatory growth was often an ESS when herbivores were either above- or below-ground. Plants in the experiment followed model predictions. Specifically, plants produced more tissues than expected based on damage, and for 15 % damage this allowed them to maintain equal fitness compared to undamaged plants. The model allows for above- and below-ground herbivory to be modelled, and predicts their impact on whole plant growth and reproduction. For example, we can predict the effects of shoot damage on root growth. When combined with other advances in predicting plant ecology with evolutionary game theory, we anticipate that this will be a valuable tool for generating further testable hypotheses.
BK Virus-Related Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (P03.258)

OBJECTIVE: To gain familiarity with the rare presentation of BK virus-related progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. BACKGROUND: BK virus is a member of the Polyomaviridae family and relative of JC virus, the etiologic agent of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. It is found in kidney, lung, eye, liver and brain. Clinical disease is mostly encountered in AIDS or transplant recipients. PCR assays are the standard method of detection. BK viral DNA is rarely reported in samples of CSF, which differs from JC virus, a common finding in PML. We describe a rare case of BK virus-related PML in an HIV patient. DESIGN/METHODS: Case Report. RESULTS: A 36 year-old female diagnosed with HIV in 1997, with CD4 count of 88, on tenofovir/emtricitabine and lopinavir/ritonavir, presented with memory impairment, progressive left-sided hemiparesis, urinary incontinence and new onset seizures. MRI of brain showed asymmetric diffuse increased T2 hyperintensity in deep white matter of both hemispheres involving the corpus callosum. CSF PCR was negative for JC virus. Interestingly, CSF was positive for BK virus. Based on clinical and MRI findings and presence of BK virus in CSF, the diagnosis was most consistent with BK virus-related PML. Two years after her initial diagnosis, she presented to the hospital again with increased seizures. MRI of brain was unchanged. Repeat CSF for BK virus was negative. Her seizure medications were adjusted and antiretroviral treatment was changed from tenofovir/emtricitabine and lopinavir/ritonavir to lamivudine/zidovudine and lopinavir/ritonavir for better CSF penetration. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with BK virus-related CNS infection may show signs of neurological impairment including seizures, hemiparesis, memory loss, visual and speech disturbance. Since the first report of BK virus associated neurological infection, only 24 cases are described. For treatment, a standard antiviral regimen has not yet been established. However in AIDS patients with BK virus-related encephalitis, immune reconstitution by combined antiretroviral therapy appears to improve the clinical condition. Disclosure: Dr. Chu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dhungana has nothing to disclose. Dr. Johnson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Woc-Colburn has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kass has nothing to disclose.
The Social Relevance Of Competence

Few ideas have been adhered to so axiomatically as the assumption that competence in interpersonal relations is instrumental in producing socially valued outcomes. Academic curricula at all levels of the educational hierarchy have at times been justified by their relationship to social competence. Psychiatric, clinical, and popular skills training programs are predicated on this assumption. Research across a diverse spectrum of social scientific disciplines continues to expand rapidly, motivated by a largely implicit presumption that interpersonal competence is in fact important to quality of life. As evidence of this scholarly interest, Garmezy, Masten, Nordstrom, and Ferrarese (1979) developed a computer-assisted bibliography of titles that use such terms as “social competence” and “interpersonal competence.” The number of citations was compared to the number of citations on other selected topics and to the number of entries as a whole. When compared over time, the authors found that the absolute number, as well as the relative percentage, of “competence-related articles appears to be increasing” (p. 38). The authors have accumulated approximately 1,600 references considered relevant to interpersonal competence. Clearly, interpersonal competence is presumed to be a socially and academically important phenomenon.
Blacks’ Diminished Return of Education Attainment on Subjective Health; Mediating Effect of Income

Background: Minorities’ Diminished Return (MDR) can be defined as smaller health gains from socioeconomic status (SES) indicators, such as education attainment among ethnic minorities compared to the majority group. The current study tested whether income explains why Black and White adults differ in the association between education attainment and self-rated health (SRH). Methods: With a cross-sectional design, this study used data from Cycle 5 of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), 2017. With a nationally representative sample, the HINTS study generates results that are generalizable to US adults. This study included 2277 adults who were either non-Hispanic White (n = 1868; 82%) or non-Hispanic Black (n = 409; 18%). The independent variable was education attainment. The dependent variable was SRH, measured using a standard single item. Age, gender, and health insurance status were covariates. Ethnicity was the focal moderator. Income was the mediator. A structural equation model (SEM) was applied for data analysis. Results: Overall, higher education attainment was associated with better SRH, net of covariates. However, a significant interaction between ethnicity and education attainment suggested a smaller SRH gain from education for Blacks compared to Whites. This interaction could be explained by Black–White differences in income. Conclusion: Our study results suggests that labor market preferences may explain smaller effects of education attainment on SRH for Blacks relative to Whites. Given this finding and other studies documenting MDR, policies should reduce labor market discrimination, increasing job opportunities and reducing the racial pay gap for Blacks. Programs should help Blacks compete for prestigious and high-paying jobs.
Justifying Delay: Why Agencies Delay Compliance Dates and How They Do It

Every administration since President Reagan has used compliance delays to postpone the implementation of midnight rules promulgated by the outgoing administration. Recent cases involving the Trump Administration’s delay of Obama Administration rules have reinvigorated courts’ interests in whether such delays require notice and an opportunity for comment under the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”). Some scholars have written about why incoming administrations use compliance delays to prevent implementation of the previous administration’s “midnight rules.” These delays are often cast as a precursor to repeal, engendering fears that the now-postponed final rule will be reversed. Yet a more overarching discussion of compliance delays is largely absent from the literature. This Article seeks to fill the literary void with two arguments. First, I argue that compliance delays serve a healthy role in the regulatory process. Part I provides a case study of the Food and Drug Administration’s (“FDA”) Menu-Labeling Rule. Using this case study and other examples, Part II builds a typology of five justifications used by agencies when implementing compliance delays. Part III recognizes that an agency’s justification may not equate to its reason for delay and, therefore, briefly examines how external pressures may distort these justifications. In a brief interlude, I conclude that compliance delays are a valuable procedural tool that leads to additional transparency and responsive governance. Second, I consider what procedures agencies should be required to use to delay compliance dates. Part IV presents two options — “delay rules” and “enforcement delays” — and the drawbacks of each. Delay rules officially amend compliance dates. However, recent case law suggests that delay rules must be implemented through notice-and-comment rulemaking. In contrast, an agency using an enforcement delay will allow the compliance date to elapse but choose not to enforce the rule for a certain period of time. Courts are critical of enforcement delays, which may lead agencies to implement the policy secretly, only allowing its existence to be leaked in ex parte communications. Part IV concludes by suggesting that agencies will choose enforcement delays over delay rules to avoid the resource costs of notice-and-comment rule-making. The conclusion synthesizes these two arguments and suggests that the choice between delay rules and enforcement delays is one of procedure or transparency. If agencies select enforcement delays, the benefits of increased transparency and responsive governance disappear. I argue in favor of transparency, concluding that delay rules should be exempt — in one form or another — from APA rulemaking requirements.
Thinking about Physical Education — An Alternative Approach

This article describes how the two goals of (1) promoting physically active lifestyles and (2) nurturing collaborative, caring and respectful citizens can help address some of the most common chall...
Abdominal Compartment Syndrome and Pulmonary Aspiration

We present the case of a 70-year-old man who was found obtunded in his skilled nursing facility (SNF) and was transported by ambulance to the emergency department (ED) while being ventilated by mask. His past medical history was significant for HIV/AIDS (CD4 count 91), cirrhosis, asthma, and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
The Distribution of Drugs in the Central Nervous Sytem

The relative exclusion of many drugs from the central nervous system (CNS) is generally attributed to the blood-brain and blood- cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barriers. In the past, this phenomenon was more or less interpreted as an impedance to the entry of drugs into the CNS. However, it is now apparent that numerous factors regulate the entry, as well as the distribution and final concentration of drugs within the CNS22. For instance, the rate of penetration from blood into the CNS is not only dependent on the plasma concentration, the physical-chemical properties7, 26, and the degree of binding of the drug to plasma proteins15, 47, but also on cerebral blood flow and the general permeability of cerebral blood vessels8, 20.Other factors beside the rate of penetration which affect the distribution of drugs within the CNS include regional vascularity, cerebral blood flow5, 36, the rate of diffusion through the interstitial spaces30 and CSF, uptake and metabolism within neuronal and glial elements, and the rate of efflux or diffusion from brain to CSF10 or to blood28, as well as efflux from CSF to blood29. The role and significance of factors which affect the penetration of molecules into the CNS will be dealt with in detail in the chapter by Dr. Oldendorf and will be alluded to by us only where necessary. The purpose of this chapter is to present the results of a series of studies conducted in our laboratories, as well as those of others, which lend support to the concept that the CSF plays an important role in the distribution and regulation of drugs within the CNS.
Patient complexity by surgical specialty does not correlate with work relative value units.

Abstract Background Understanding the differences in how patient complexity varies across surgical specialties can inform policy decisions about appropriate resource allocation and reimbursement. This study evaluated variation in patient complexity across surgical specialties and the correlation between complexity and work relative value units. Study design The 2017 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program was queried for cases involving otolaryngology and general, neurologic, vascular, cardiac, thoracic, urologic, orthopedic, and plastic surgery. A total of 10 domains of patient complexity were measured: American Society of Anesthesiologists class ≥4, number of major comorbidities, emergency operation, major complications, concurrent procedures, additional procedures, length of stay, non-home discharge, readmission, and mortality. Specialties were ranked by their complexity domains and the domains summed to create an overall complexity score. Patient complexity then was evaluated for correlation with work relative value units. Results Overall, 936,496 cases were identified. Cardiac surgery had the greatest total complexity score and was most complex across 4 domains: American Society of Anesthesiologists class ≥4 (78.5%), 30-day mortality (3.4%), major complications (56.9%), and mean length of stay (9.8 days). Vascular surgery had the second greatest complexity score and ranked the greatest on the domains of major comorbidities (2.7 comorbidities) and 30-day readmissions (10.1%). The work relative value units did not correlate with overall complexity score (Spearman’s ρ = 0.07; P Conclusion Substantial differences exist between patient complexity across specialties, which do not correlate with work relative value units. Physician effort is determined largely by patient complexity, which is not captured appropriately by the current work relative value units.
Digital Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy — Screening From an American Perspective

For many health care consumers, on-demand screening in the primary care clinic saves weeks or months of waiting for an appointment at an eye care facility for a traditional physician-provided dilated eye examination; indeed, for some, digital imaging is their first experience obtaining ophthalmic health care. For those patients found to have vision-threatening disease, digital screening brings them one step closer to obtaining the expert ophthalmic treatment they require to preserve their vision and to remain productive members of society.
Another 68000-Based System

The hypothetical system described in the previous chapters is somewhat too complex to build on a prototyping board. It is, however, desirable for the reader to build a small system and to use it to gain programming experience.
The Black and White Reality: Historical and Post-Ferguson Era Perspectives on Public Attitudes Toward the Police

Historically, police have struggled to build trust and legitimacy in communities of color where the tumultuous relationship between the police and community have created contentious encounters, some ending in police use of force. Events in recent years, such as the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, among numerous other highly publicized incidents of police use of deadly force against unarmed Black men, have renewed the national conversation about disparate minority contact with police, policing practices, and policing culture. The purpose of this chapter is three-fold. First, we set out to explore how attitudes toward the police are formed and why people of color have historically low levels of trust in police. Second, we examine the effect of Ferguson and similar incidents of police use of deadly force, as well as the rise of activist groups, like Black Lives Matter, on public trust in the police and changes in policing practices and policies. Last, we explore how the rise in media attention and public outcry following police use of deadly force cases have changed police officer perceptions of policing and institutional policing practices. This chapter sheds light on the systemic issues contributing to racial disparities in attitudes toward the police and proposes several new areas of inquiry for future research.
Dialogue, discernment, and creative tensions in Jesuit higher education

Like most higher education institutions, Catholic universities experience changes and pressures due to university rankings, education marketisation, and diverse student bodies. As part of the Catho...
The effect of developmental pleiotropy on the evolution of immune genes in Drosophila melanogaster

The pressure to survive relentless pathogen exposure explains the frequent observation that immune genes are among the fastest-evolving ones in the genomes of many taxa, but an intriguing proportion of immune genes also appear to be under purifying selection. Though variance in evolutionary signatures of immune genes is often attributed to differences in gene-specific interactions with microbes, this explanation neglects the possibility that immune genes pleiotropically participate in other biological processes that could constrain adaptive selection. In this study, we analyzed available transcriptomic and manual annotation data from Drosophila melanogaster to uncover substantial pleiotropic overlap in the developmental and immunological functions of genes involved in immune signaling. As developmental pleiotropy could constrain both the deployment and evolution of a gene product for immunological purposes, we predicted that pleiotropic immune genes would show stronger signatures of purifying selection than non-pleiotropic immune genes. We further predicted that, within the pleiotropic gene class, genes expressed early in development or more broadly across developmental stages would be under stronger purifying selection than genes with stage-specific functions. Using population genomics data from D. melanogaster and related species, we show that pleiotropic immune genes do undergo slightly slower evolutionary rates than those having no known developmental functions, and that signatures of purifying selection are significantly stronger for broadly-expressed pleiotropic immune genes. This study underscores the need to investigate immune system evolution in the broader context of host life history and development, and raises new questions about the evolution and maintenance of pleiotropic genetic architecture.
Observations on the Application of Machine Learning Techniques to Aviation Operations

There is an increasing interest in applying methods based on Machine Learning Techniques (MLT) to problems in aviation operations. The current interest is based on developments in Cloud Computing, the availability of open software and the success of MLT in automation, consumer behavior and finance involving large database. Historically aviation operations have been analyzed using physics-based models and provide information for making operational decisions. This talk describes issues to be addressed in applying either model-driven or data-driven methods. Aviation operations involving many decision makers, multiple objectives, poor or unavailable physics-based models and a rich historical database are prime candidates for analysis using data-driven methods. The issues are illustrated by a detailed example and summary of current research in the area. The application of MLT to aviation operations falls into two categories: (a) based on the lack of a physics-based model, MLT is the favored approach and (b) marginal difference between regression methods using physics-based models and MLT. Further research is needed in the selection of MLT to critical aviation operations. As always, the best approach depends on the task, the physical understanding of the problem and the quality and quantity of the available data.
Reflections on Experiences at a Residential Science and Math High School: An Alumni Survey:

Residential Science High Schools (RSHS) for academically talented students that focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) provide opportunities for high school students to a...
LINCS: Towards building a trustworthy litigation hold enabled cloud storage system

Abstract Litigation holds are inevitable parts of modern civil lawsuits that mandate an organization to preserve all forms of documents related to a lawsuit. In current data storage models, this includes documents stored in clouds. However, due to the fundamental natures of today's clouds, incorporating a trustworthy litigation hold management system is very challenging. To make the situation more complicated, defendants or plaintiffs may collude with the cloud service provider (CSP) to manipulate the documents under the hold. Serious consequences can follow if a litigant party fails to comply with the litigation hold for evidence stored in the cloud, resulting in legal sanctions for spoliation. This will not only harm the reputation of an organization but also levy of sanctions, such as fines, penalties, etc. In this paper, we define a model of trustworthy litigation hold management for cloud-based storage systems and identify the key security properties. Based on the model, we propose a trustworthy LIitigation hold eNabled Cloud Storage (LINCS) system. We show that LINCS can provide the required security properties in a strong adversarial scenario, where a plaintiff or defendant colludes with a malicious CSP. Our prototype implementation reveals that the performance overhead of using LINCS is very low (average 1.4% for the user), which suggests that such litigation hold enabled storage system can be integrated with real clouds.
Brand Love is in the Heart: Physiological Responding to Advertised Brands

ABSTRACT Advertising executive Kevin Roberts proposed that premium proﬁts lie in strong emotionalconnections with brands that engender “loyalty beyond reason.” This study uses psychophysiologicalmeasures to empirically investigate the basic premises asserted by Roberts (2005): consumers’connections with brands are rooted in emotion, and that consumers connect with their ownidiosyncratic set of brands. Data support this conceptualization of brand love. Individuals’ unique setof more-loved brands elicited characteristically positive emotional responses. This was not the casefor category preferences. The notion of brand love, which varies at an individual level, is compatiblewith the current trend toward targeted advertising. C 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Brands are an inescapable part of everyday life. Withnew media opening new venues for advertisers to ex-ploreandwithguerillaadvertisementsﬁllinganyavail-able space, advertisers understand that brands mustbreak through the clutter and ﬁnd a way to com-pete for consumers’ overwrought attention. Despite theonslaught of advertising, brands have been success-ful at engaging the consumer. Consumers have as-signed human characteristics to brands (Levy, 1985),considered brands as their counterpart in an interper-sonal relationship (Fournier, 1998), and built commu-nities around brands (Schouten & McAlexander, 1995).This research suggests that consumers have estab-lished emotional relationships with the brands theybuy. Some, like Saatchi & Saatchi CEO Kevin Roberts(2005), propose that this relationship is one of “loyaltybeyond reason” (p. 66), or one of deep emotional con-nection similar to love. Roberts’ emotional connectionto a product that a consumer has encourages brandloyalty despite the presence of other, more logical al-ternatives. Roberts does not advocate for separatingemotion and rationality, but instead suggests that theemotional attachment individuals have to brands isstrong enough to be considered love. Likewise, Robertsdoes not make assertions about psychological scienceor how emotion is conceptualized. He does make as-sertions about the emotional connection people have tobrands, and testing those assertions is the purpose ofthis study.Previous research substantiates Roberts’ assump-tion that consumers forge emotional connections withbrands (for reviews, see Poels & Dewitte, 2006; Wiles& Cornwell, 1990). However, these studies used printor television advertisements as stimulus material. Be-cause individuals also respond to structural and con-textual cues presented in advertisements (Lang, 1990),their responses to brands alone are confounded. Thecurrent study isolates individuals’ responses to thebrand by presenting only brand logos as stimuli. Logosare a static representation of a brand that are sufﬁ-cient for brand identiﬁcation. Thus, without the visualand aural cues present in advertisements, logos allowfor the measurement of responses to a brand, not to anadvertisement’s contextual cues.
Intracavitary use of radium for treatment of atypical uterine bleeding in women of menopausal age

Abstract In the past 20 years there has been a marked decrease in the number of patients receiving the menopausal dose of radium at the Mayo Clinic. In our study, 364 patients of menopausal age received intracavitary treatment of 1,200 mg. hr. of radium during two 5 year periods. The major indications for such treatment were menorrhagia, metrorrhagia, menometrorrhagia, and postmenopausal bleeding. Endometrial carcinoma developed in 5 patients subsequent to their completed radium therapy. At the present time, the initial treatment for abnormal bleeding in women of menopausal age is dilatation and curettage. Should abnormal bleeding persist or recur, hysterectomy might be considered as a means of definitive therapy. The use of radium is reserved for a few selected patients and we anticipate a further decline in its use for atypical bleeding in women of menopausal age.
Nucleoside antibiotics. II. Biochemical tools for studying the structural requirements for interaction at the catalytic and regulatory sites of ribonucleotide reductase from Escherichia coli.

Abstract The substrate and allosteric site specificities of partially purified ribonucleotide reductase from Escherichia coli are reported. The pyrrolopyrimidine antibiotics, tubercidin 5-'diphosphate and toyocamycin 5'-diphosphate, were enzymatically reduced to their corresponding 2'-deoxyribonucleotides. Sangivamycin 5'-diphosphate was not a substrate. The reduction of tubercidin 5'-diphosphate and toyocamycin 5'-diphosphate was stimulated by the "prime effector," dGTP. TTP, which stimulates the reduction of the purine and pyrimidine nucleoside diphosphates, did not stimulate the reduction of the nucleotide antibiotics. This is in contrast to the observation that the reduction of the nucleotide antibiotics was stimulated when the prime effector, dGTP, was added to the ribonucleotide reductase from Lactobacillus leichmannii. The results indicate that nitrogen atom 7 of the imidazole ring of ADP does not play a significant role in binding at the catalytic site since tubercidin 5'-diphosphate and toyocamycin 5'-diphosphate were substrates. However, replacement of the cyano- group with a carboxamide group (sangivamycin 5'-diphosphate) is sufficient to prevent reduction of the nucleoside diphosphate to the 2'-deoxyribonucleotide. 3'-Deoxyadenosine 5'-triphosphate interacted at the allosteric site and modified the reductase such that the reductions of ADP and GDP were both inhibited. 3'-Deoxyadenosine 5'-triphosphate was not as good an allosteric modifier as was 2'-dATP. The presence of a hydroxyl group in position 3' of the ribonucleoside 5'-di- or ribonucleoside 5'-triphosphates does not appear to be an important structural requirement for interaction at the regulatory site of the ribonucleotide reductases from E. coli and L. leichmannii. The three pyrrolopyrimidine nucleoside triphosphate antibiotics inhibited the reduction of CDP and UDP. The inhibition of reduction of ADP and GDP by 2'-dATP was potentiated when the 5'-triphosphates of tubercidin, toyocamycin, and sangivamycin were added. The substrate activity and allosteric modification observed with the nucleotide antibiotics may be important in evaluating the biological activity of these compounds.
Different Storks for Different Folks

SUMMARY When gay and lesbian couples decide to become parents, they are unique as a group in always requiring the involvement of a facilitating other: a donor, surrogate, or (in the case of adopted or foster children) birth parents. This clinical paper explores common psychological and social challenges gay and lesbian couples face when using alternative reproductive technologies to attain parenthood. Between the wish and the actuality of being at home with their baby, gay and lesbian parents travel a long and winding road of choices and chances taken. The parenting partners often consist of one biological and one non-biological parent. Issues of psychological/emotional parenthood as opposed to merely biological parenthood (including assumptions of potential inequality or differential legitimacy) must be reconciled in the minds, couple relationships, family of origin relationships, and friendship support systems of the partners before and after the child's birth. The family must also navigate others' ques...
Types of Auroral-Zone Disturbances: Current Status on Identification and Understanding

Abstract It is now known that there are several different types of auroral zone disturbances, each reflecting fundamentally different processes within the magnetosphere-ionosphere system. Four types known to be dynamically important are described here. Substorms follow a ≳ 0.5 hr growth period of enhanced convection. Onset occurs within the near-Earth plasma sheet and is often followed by new magnetic X-line in the mid-tail. Evidence now indicates that substorm onset results from a transition from a stable to unstable state of the nightside magnetosphere that initiates a few minutes prior to onset as the result of a reduction in the strength of convection caused by an appropriate change in the interplanetary magnetic field impacting the magnetosphere. Convection driven auroral enhancements occur at midnight-to-dawn MLTs and result from plasma sheet electrons, which are strongly energized during periods of enhanced convection and magnetic drift around the dawn side. Enhancements in solar wind dynamic pressure cause global disturbances that can be quite dramatic. These disturbances consists of increases in magnetospheric and ionospheric currents and electric fields, enhancements in auroral emissions and broadening of the auroral oval, and significant shrinkage of the polar cap size. Poleward boundary intensifications (PBIs) are auroral enhancements that initiate along the poleward boundary of the auroral oval. They occur during all overall levels of geomagnetic activity and are associated with few minute flow bursts in the tail plasma sheet. They are the most common disturbance. They are often repetitive and may be a manifestation of a large-scale ULF oscillation.
Thermal stress modeling in electronics and photonics: Brief review

Major findings in the field of modeling of thermal stress in electronic and photonic systems are briefly discussed, with an emphasis on analytical modeling. The addressed areas include the role and significance of thermal stress modeling; bi-metal thermostats and bi-material assemblies models, employed in electronics and photonics engineering, and particularly die-substrate assemblies; attributes of and challenges in analytical and finite-element modeling; thermal stress in solder material and joints; global and local thermal expansion mismatch; assemblies bonded at the ends and assemblies with low modulus adhesive at the ends; design recommendations based on modeling; thermal stress in thin films fabricated on thick substrates; plastic packages of IC devices subjected to thermal loading; thermal stress induced bow and bow-free assemblies; application of the probabilistic approach; thermal stress in coated optical fibers; and thermal stress in some nano-systems. It is concluded that predictive modeling, both analytical and numerical (finite element) should be widely used in the stress-strain analyses and physical design-for-reliability of electronic and photonic systems subjected to thermal loading.
Fixed point analysis of the constant modulus algorithm

The steady-state performance of adaptive equalizers can significantly vary when they are implemented in finite precision arithmetic, which makes it vital to analyze their performance in a quantized environment. We present a fixed point analysis for the steady-state mean square error (MSE) of a blind adaptive equalizer and the optimal value of the step-size that minimizes this MSE. Such expressions are useful for selecting the adequate wordlength of a blind equalizer to achieve a specific desired steady-state performance.
The energy method

Abstract A new procedure for constructing the solution to conservative, linear, and nonlinear initial value problems is given. Numerical results are given for a linear mechanical oscillator and a nonlinear simple pendulum. The method given does not employ or even require the formulation of differential equations, but is compared to several methods which do. The numerical accuracy and stability of the method is noted.
Physiologic disposition of pergolide

Pergolide, a synthetic ergoline, is a potent long-acting dopaminergic drug effective in Parkinson's disease and amenorrhea-galactorrhea. After 138 μg l4C-pergolide orally to healthy subjects, radioactivity was present in plasma and red blood cells. Salivary radioactivity was one third to one tenth that in plasma. Radioactivity in plasma appeared after 15 to 30 min, peaked at 1 to 2 hr, and was barely detectable after 96 hr. Plasma radioactivity was not attributable to pergolide, and the levels did not correlate well with the duration of the prolactin-lowering effect induced by pergolide. Pergolide became bound to several plasma proteins and could not be displaced by other drugs that are also bound or by possible metabolites of pergolide. Radioactivity was eliminated as pergolide metabolites in urine (55%), feces (40%), and breath (5%, as 14CO2). Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1981) 30, 258–265; doi:10.1038/clpt.1981.157
Special Issue on Second and Foreign Language Learning and Teaching: An Introduction

As the site of confluence of several disciplines interested in language acquisition and use, the field of applied linguistics is the overarching domain of research dedicated to the study of second ...
Human salivary eicosanoids: circadian variation.

Abstract A circadian rhythm in the concentrations of prostaglandins (PG) E2, PGF2, PGI2 (measured as 6-keto-PGF1α), immunoreactive hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids and immunoreactive 6-sulfidopeptide containing leukotrienes in human mixed saliva was observed. The rhythm reflected changes in the absolute amounts of these compounds in saliva. Under usual sleep-wake cycles a single peak occurred during sleep with maximal levels at 5:00 AM; the amplitude of the peak varied for each product. The rhythm was sleep-dependent and a shift occurred when the sleep-wake cycles were displaced. Basal levels of these eicosanoids were maintained even without sleep.
Ethanol is a potent stimulator of phosphatidylcholine breakdown in cultured rat hepatocytes.

Abstract Addition of ethanol (17 to 340 mM) to cultured rat hepatocytes stimulated the breakdown of phosphatidylcholine phospholipases D and C as measured by an increase in the rate of release of choline and phosphocholine into 8 medium. The effects of ethanol were mimicked by propanol, dimenthylsulfoxide and to a lesser extent methanol. To magnitude of the stimulation seen with ethanol was equivalent to and additivie to that produced by glucage vasopression, norepinephrine, A23187 or PMA. In contrast, ethanol (340 mM) stimulated PI-specific phospholipa C activity by less than 20%. An equivalent stimulation of PC-specific phospholipase D and C was seen with as little as 20 mM ethanol and a 100% increase was seen with 340 mM ethanol. Ethanol did not significantly affect thev ability of vasopressin, norepinephrine, ATP or A23187 to stimulate PI-specific phospholipase C. It is concluded that while ethanol is only a weak stimulator of PI-specific phospholipase C, it is a potent stimulator of phosphatidyhlcholine breakdown in rat hepatocytes.
Satellite Data Analysis of the Upper Ocean Response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (2005) in the Gulf of Mexico

The biological and physical effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita (2005) on the upper ocean are analyzed using satellite observations and model simulations of the mixed layer in the Gulf of Mexico. Along the hurricanes' passages, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer and Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer instruments detected two areas of maximum surface chlorophyll-a (chl a) concentration and sea surface cooling. These areas had peak intensities ranging from 2-3 mgmiddotm-3 and 3 degC-4 degC. The depth of the mixed layer deepened by approximately 33-52 m, and the temperature of the mixed layer cooled approximately 2 degC. Hurricane wind fields intensified the oceanic cyclonic circulation, maximizing upwelling, surface cooling, and deepening the mixed layer. The forced mixed layer deepening injected nutrients into the surface layer, resulting in phytoplankton blooms three-five days later (i.e., higher chl a concentrations)
Predicting term and preterm delivery with transabdominal uterine electromyography

Abstract Objective To determine whether delivery can be predicted using transabdominal uterine electromyography. Methods A total of 99 patients were grouped as either term (37 weeks or more) or preterm (less than 37 weeks). Uterine electrical activity was recorded for 30 minutes in clinic. Electromyographic “bursts” were evaluated to determine the power density spectrum. Measurement-to-delivery time was compared with the average power density spectrum’s peak frequency. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed for 48, 24, 12, and 8 hours from term delivery, and 6, 4, 2, and 1 day(s) from preterm delivery. Results The power density spectrum peak frequency increased as the measurement-to-delivery interval decreased. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis gave high positive and negative predictive values for both term and preterm delivery. At term, the average power density spectrum peak frequency was significantly higher for the 24-or-fewer-hours-to-delivery group than for the more-than-24-hours-to-delivery group, whereas at preterm, the average power density spectrum peak frequency was significantly higher in the 4-or-fewer-days-to-delivery group than in the more-than-4-days-to-delivery group (P Conclusion Transabdominal uterine electromyography predicts delivery within 24 hours at term and within 4 days preterm. This methodology offers many advantages and benefits that are not available with present uterine monitoring systems.
Facile Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery via Ministernotomy

Abstract Background . The public's and surgeons' perception of minimally invasive operations are frequently at odds. Nevertheless, real or perceived benefits may result from limiting skin and skeletal trauma. Methods . Beginning in January 1996, we began approaching most infant and pediatric open heart procedures through an upper sternal split incision using a 1- to 3-inch skin opening and then extended this technique using a 2.5- to 3.5-inch incision for adult aortic and mitral valve replacement. Results . A total of 82 patients, 57 infants and children and 25 adults, have been operated on using this approach (age range, newborn to 81 years). Operations accomplished through ministernotomy have included aortic valvotomy, arterial switch, tetralogy of Fallot, atrial or ventricular septal defect closure, aortic valve replacement, mitral valve replacement and repair, redo aortic or mitral valve replacement, double valve replacement, aortic root replacement, and complex arch reconstruction. In adults, the sternum was divided and then a T incision was made at the second, third, or fourth intercostal space. The mitral valve was reached through the roof of the left atrium. In children, a lower sternal split was used for atrial septal defect repairs. All cannulas were introduced through the ministernotomy incision, eliminating femoral cannulation. No new instruments, retractors, or ports were used. Mediastinal drainage was accomplished through a Blake drain connected to Heimlich-valved grenade suction. All but 2 patients were extubated immediately. Hospital stay was from 1 to 20 days (median 2 days). Patient and family acceptance is very high. Conclusions . On the basis of this initial experience, we attempt all congenital cardiac and isolated adult valve operations through ministernotomy.
The three vicious circles of underdevelopment: The Sahel-Sudan case of West Africa

Abstract In this paper an attempt is made at problem identification and resultant policy implications of the Sahel-Sudan region of West Africa. This region suffered a prolonged drought during 1968–1973 including famine and losses of property. The approach of the study is predicted upon the needs for an interdisciplinary, comprehensive and integrated evaluation to assist policy planning and avoid costly mistakes resulting from oversights and narrow examinations that result from a single sector or project approach. Thus, the distinguishing characteristics of the region are identified in section one of this paper including political and geographic, economic, climatic, international and resource base of the region. In Section 2, the major problems of the region are explicated in three process models referred to as the vicious circles. These include the ecological-agricultural circle, the human opportunity circle and the traditional-modern circle. It is shown that the regions fragile ecology has succesively deteriorated, the human opportunities have been restricted for the majority of the people in the rural areas and the modern sector has been subsidized by heavily taxing the traditional sector. In Section 3, it is contended that breaking of these vicious circles provide the necessary and sufficient condition for the region's long term viability. And a number of policy parameters are expounded upon. The main theme of this paper is diagnostic and its implications are worldwide, both in terms of methodology and contents.
Overview Of Stability Study Designs

Stability requirements for the worldwide registration of pharmaceutical products have changed dramatically in the past few years. A series of guidelines on the design, conduct, and data analysis of stability studies of pharmaceuticals have been published by the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH); however, the statistical discussion on study design is limited. In this paper, stability designs including full, bracketing, and matrixing designs will be exemplified. The statistical aspects of these stability designs will be discussed in relation to the recent ICH guidelines. The statistical and regulatory considerations on the selection of stability design will also be presented. The stability study should be well designed so the shelf life of the drug product can be estimated with a high degree of accuracy and precision. Several commonly used criteria for design comparison will be presented. Finally, a case study is presented to illustrate the potential problems of an overreduced design from the statistical and regulatory perspectives.