cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Responses of adult mallard ducks to ingested South Louisiana crude oil

Abstract Adult mallards ( Anas platyrhynchos ) were fed South Louisiana crude oil as 0.25 and 2.5% of the total diet for 26 weeks to assess the chronic effects of oil ingestion. Additional birds were fed diets containing either 1.0% of a paraffin mixture or clean feed. No birds died during the study, nor were their body weights significantly depressed. Oviduct weight at necropsy was greatly reduced in hens on the 2.5% oil diet and also was significantly reduced in hens on the 0.25% oil diet when compared with controls. Male reproductive organs were not atrophied by treatment. Hens on oil-treated diets laid fewer eggs than those on the control diet; however, eggs from treated hens hatched as well as those from controls when artificially incubated. Pathological or biochemical alterations were no greater in the treated birds than in controls.
Early and Late Results of Closure of Ventricular Septal Defect in Infancy

Abstract Fifty infants ranging in age from 13 days to 18 months (mean age 6 months) and weighing from 1.7 to 8.2 kg (mean weight 4.5 kg) underwent patch closure of a ventricular septal defect (VSD) with use of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. Seventeen infants were under 3 months of age. The principal indication for operation was intractable chronic congestive heart failure. All infants were below the third percentile for weight preoperatively. Three patients (6%) died postoperatively within the second month of life. There was no late mortality. Seven infants (14%) had seizures; these were associated with a low output state in 2 infants, with hypoxic episodes in 4 infants, and occurred postoperatively in 1 infant. Postoperatively, 8 (17%) of the surviving infants developed right bundle-branch block and left anterior hemiblock, and 16 (32%) developed right bundle-branch block alone. One year postoperatively, catheterization studies in 24 children revealed normal pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance in all; there were no significant residual ventricular septal defects. Because of these results we continue to be enthusiastic about primary closure of VSD irrespective of age or weight.
The effect of lattice vibrations on trap-limited exciton lifetimes

The problem of exciton migration and trapping on a linear polymer is treated as a random walk on a one-dimensional lattice. The average number of steps required for a walker to be trapped is calculated when the probability of stepping to adjacent lattice sites is not symmetrical, and is found to be less than that calculated for a symmetrical walk. An asymmetrical stepping probability is shown to result from the thermal vibrations of the lattice. The magnitude of this effect on the exciton lifetime is estimated and found to be significant.
Retrograde fibreoptic intubation in a child with Nager's syndrome.

Purpose The authors describe a retrograde fibreoptic technique for tracheal intubation in a micrognathic child with a tracheo-cutaneous fistula.
Effects of Projective Identification on Therapists and Groupmates

Projective identification (PI) is both an intrapsychic defence mechanism (Klein, 1946) and a vehicle for interpersonal communication (Bion, 1962). As a defence, PI can be used by the anxious self (after splitting and projection) to protect itselffrom annihilation fears through fantasies of entering the objects and omnipotently controlling them. Klein labelled this aspect of PI as an intrusive identification fantasy of defence which also elaborates wishes to get rid of, to evacuate, unacceptable mental contents onto objects. A group's scapegoating of a member is a similar device.
Considerations for the use of alloplastic temporomandibular joint replacement in the growing patient.

When developmental, traumatic, neoplastic arthritis or ankylosis results in an anatomically unsalvageable, functionally compromised temporomandibular joint (TMJ), total joint replacement (TJR) may provide the only management option. In the adult patient these situations are often dealt with by use of either autogenous or alloplastic modalities. However, any of these pathologic conditions when present in the growing patient present the reconstructive surgeon with not only the concerns of form and function, but also the consideration of adaptive facial growth. 1-3 Classically, pathologic, developmental, and functional disorders affecting the TMJ in children have been reconstructed with autogenous tissues. Autogenous costochondral grafts are reported as the “gold standard” for TMJ reconstruction in the growing patient. 4-8 The use of other autogenous bone/cartilage combinations has also been described in such cases. 9-12 In theory, these autogenous (eg, costochondral) allografts will “grow with the patient”; however, often, this so-called growth potential has been stated to be unpredictable or to result in ankylosis, either as the result of the allograft and/or fixation failure or because of the uncooperative nature of the young patient with physical therapy after reconstruction. 4,5,13-28 Recent studies have even questioned the necessity for using a cartilaginous graft to restore and maintain mandibular growth. 29,30 Long-term reports of mandibular growth in children whose TMJs were reconstructed with costochondral grafts show that excessive growth on the treated side occurred in 54% of the 72 cases examined, and growth equal to that on the opposite side occurred in only 38% of the cases. 26,31-35 Further
RECENT RESULTS FROM K2K

K2K is a long baseline neutrino oscillation experiment using a neutrino beam produced at the KEK 12 GeV PS, a near detector complex at KEK and a far detector (Super-Kamiokande) in Kamioka, Japan. The experiment was constructed and is being operated by an international consortium of institutions from Japan, Korea, and the US. The experiment started taking data in 1999 and has successfully taken data for about two years. K2K is the first long beseline neutrino oscillation experiment with a baseline of order hundreds of km and is the first accelerator based neutrino oscillation experiment that is sensitive to the Super-Kamiokande allowed region obtained from the atmospheric neutrino oscillation analysis. A total of 44 events have been observed in the far detector during the period of June 1999 to April 2001 corresponding to 3.85 × 1019 protons on target. The observation is consistent with the neutrino oscillation expectations based on the oscillation parameters derived from the atmospheric neutrinos, and the probability that this is a statistical fluctuation of non-oscillation expectation of is less than 3%.
Interior-point competitive learning of control agents in colony-style systems

This paper presents an alternating minimization (AM) algorithm used in training radial basis function (RBF) networks. The AM algorithm can also be viewed as a competitive learning paradigm. Its use is illustrated by optimizing a colony-style control system. The application arises in the context of hybrid control systems. The algorithm is a modification of a small-step interior point method used in solving primal linear programs. The algorithm has a convergence rate of 0((root)nL) iterations where n is a measure of the network size and L is a measure of the resulting solution's accuracy. © (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
DCPE co-training for classification

Co-training is a well-known semi-supervised learning technique that applies two basic learners to train the data source, which uses the most confident unlabeled data to augment labeled data in the learning process. In the paper, we use the diversity of class probability estimation (DCPE) between two learners and propose the DCPE co-training approach. The key idea is to use DCPE to predict labels for the unlabeled data in the training process. The experimental studies with UCI data demonstrate that the DCPE co-training is robust and efficient in classification. The comparative studies with supervised learning methods and semi-supervised learning methods also demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Surface roughness of anisotropic fracture surfaces

Abstract A new assumption-free method has recently been developed for estimating the surface roughness parameter ( R s ) of fracture surfaces regardless of the relative extent of isotropy or anisotropy exhibited. An overview of the new method, as well as certain statistical aspects associated with sampling procedure, are presented. Computer-simulated sampling of idealized anisotropic surfaces is extensively used to investigate these issues.
Current-mode synthesis using node expansion techniques

This paper derives node expansion methods by which a given passive network and its nodal admittance matrix are modified by expanding a node into two nodes and introducing a nullor or a dependent source between the newly created nodes. Node expansion provides a systematic method to introduce active elements in a network. The elements of the admitance matrix are modified, but the dimensions of the matrix are unchanged. These methods, which can be applied repetitively, are used to derive filters and oscillators from parental passive networks in a systematic manner.
Nutritional health promotion for older adults, where is the content?

Purpose To describe nurse practitioners' (NPs') educational experiences related to older adult nutrition and eating abilities. Data Sources Descriptive research with written survey data collected from 80 gerontological NPs recruited from a national nursing conference. Conclusions Older adults' nutritional health has been related to acute illness, pressure sore development, prolonged hospital stays, and other health problems. Current literature suggests that although nutrition screening and intervention promote older adults' health, practitioners may not consistently receive education on this content. Participants indicated that gerontological-nutrition content was important, that it was missing from their educational programs, and that it needed to be a part of the NP curriculum. Specific nutrition content concerns were organized by the categories (a) disease and functional issues, (b) psychosocial support and environmental impact, and (c) health care team and system considerations. Implications for Practice NP programs need to self-evaluate for adequate and appropriate nutrition screening and intervention content. Frameworks such as those developed by the Nutrition Screening Initiative and others provide beginning guidance for further content development.
Smaller format, laser camera—generated images: Acceptability and cost savings

Rationale and Objectives. To evaluate the use of laser-generated smaller images in neuroradiologic practice. Materials and Methods. Computed tomographic (CT) scans of the heads of five subjects were obtained at bone and brain windows in three formats: 12:1 (12 images on a 35 × 43-cm film), 15:1, and 20:1. Two laser-camera systems were used. Images were measured, physically separated, and reconstructed as a 35 × 43-cm ensemble; they were presented randomly to seven radiologists who assessed image size and interpretability. Observer preference was also noted. One camera system was evaluated for contrast and spatial resolution by a medical physicist. Results. There were negligible differences in image area between the 15:1 and 20:1 formats. No discernible differences in quality were found among the three formats. The 12:1 images were preferred by the radiologists, but the 20:1 images were deemed acceptable. Annualized cost savings of 46.7%, or $46,650, were projected for adoption of the 20:1 image format for neuroradiologic CT and magnetic resonance imaging. Conclusion. No major differences were detected in image area between the 15:1 and the 20:1 image formats or in image quality among the three formats. Use of a smaller image format may result in substantial cost savings.
Participation of ADP dissociation in the rate-determining step in cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

Pre-steady-state kinetic analyses of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase showed that the rate constant for phosphoryl transfer is fast and either the release of one or both of the products or a conformational change controls turnover [Grant, B., & Adams, J. A. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 2022−2029]. To determine which step or steps control turnover in the wild-type enzyme, we used a catalytic trapping technique to measure directly the dissociation rate constant for ADP. The phosphorylation of two peptide substrates, LRRASLG and GRTGRRNSI, was monitored using a rapid quench flow technique under conditions where saturating concentrations of ADP were preequilibrated with the enzyme before excess ATP and one of the substrates were added to trap the free enzyme and to start the phosphorylation reaction. Under ADP preequilibration conditions, no ‘burst' phase was observed, and although the rate of linear, steady-state turnover was unaffected, the net production of phosphopeptide lagged behind the...
Selecting or Upgrading Software and Web Sites in the Classroom

Three issues are important considerations when selecting or updating software and/or web sites for children’s use in classrooms or computers labs. The first issue is computer integration: products need to mesh with the goals or standards identified by the school, district or state. Second, violence should be avoided, especially if children initiate and control the violence. Third, the developmental appropriateness of programs is an essential consideration. The outstanding software and web sites for 2004 are reviewed and illustrated with screen captions.
Surfer and Beachgoer Responsiveness to Coastal Water Quality Warnings

Fecal contamination of coastal waters has led local public health agencies to issue tens of thousands of beach advisories annually and to advise against ocean swimming and surfing for 72 hours following a rain. The responsiveness of recreationists to beach advisories and the “72 hour rule” is estimated by merging four years of multi-daily surfer and beachgoer counts at one beach in Southern California with hourly data on beach advisories, recent precipitation, meteorological conditions, and the UCSB academic calendar. Both surfing and beach-going decreased significantly following rainfall in response to the 72 hour rule, showing that recreationists are willing to engage in health risk-reducing avoiding behavior. However, neither surfing nor beach-going decreased significantly during beach advisories. Surfers were significantly more responsive to beach advisories during dry periods than during wet periods, consistent with the hypothesis that recreationists are most likely to respond to a risk warning that ...
Classification of carbon in Canadian fly ashes and their implications in the capture of mercury

Fly ashes produced from Canadian power plants using pulverized coal and fluidized bed combustors were examined for their carbon content to determine their ability to capture mercury. The feed coal used in these power plants were lignite, subbituminous, high and medium volatile bituminous, their blends, and also blends of coal with petroleum coke (Petcoke). The carbon and mercury content of the coals and fly ashes were determined using the ASTM standard method and by the cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry method. The carbon content of the fly ash was concentrated by strong acid digestion using HCl and HF. The quantitative and qualitative analyses of the carbon concentrate were made by using a reflected light microscope. The results show that the carbon content of fly ash appears to be partially related to depositional environment during coalification and to the rank of the coal. The Hg captured by the fly ash depends on the rank and blend of the feed coals and the type of carbon in the fly ash. The isotropic vitrinitic char is mostly responsible for the capture of most Hg in fly ash. The inadvertent increase in carbon content due to the blending of coal with petroleum coke did not increase the amount Hg captured by the fly ash. The fly ash collected by the hot side electrostatic precipitator has a low Hg content and no relation between the Hg and carbon content of the ash was observed. These results indicate that the quantity of carbon in the fly ash alone does not determine the amount Hg captured. The types of carbon present (isotropic and anisotropic vitrinitic, isotropic inertinitic and anisotropic Petcoke), the halogen content, the types of fly ash control devices, and the temperatures of the fly ash control devices all play major roles in the capture of Hg.
Nonpunitive discipline in the public sector

This article addresses the operation and importance of nonpunitive approaches to discipline in the public sector. One such approach, known as Positive Discipline (PD) is specifically addressed. An Examination of the application and effectiveness of PD to Pinellas County, Florida indicates that PD has improved the state of discipline in the County, Nonpunitive approaches to discipline such as PD deserve greater attention from government employers because they can influence employee commitment to and hence the overall effectiveness of the organization.
“A Good Poor Man’s Wife”: Being a Chronicle of Harriet Hanson Robinson and Her Family in Nineteenth-Century New England

A shrewd observer of 19th-century America, Harriet Hanson Robinson's participation in important events and her salty comments, preserved and recorded in the poetry and books she wrote during her lifetime, offer a dramatic account of how one strong-minded woman, who first worked as a textile worker in the industrial town of Lowell, MA, turned to writing and politics to sustain her family after her husband's early death. Harriet's personal papers shed light on such topics as labor history, state politics, and the mechanics of writing and publication. Her best-known publications, Loom and Spindle, which deals with early factory life, and Massachusetts in the Woman Suffrage Movement, are often quoted today.
‘Like an ox yoke’: Challenging the intrinsic virtuousness of a grassroots social movement:

Since the 1980s, neoliberal globalization fostered an upsurge of grassroots social movements in Latin America that sought alternatives to increasing poverty and social exclusion. Social movement sc...
Pharmacogenomics in pediatrics: personalized medicine showing eminent promise.

As pharmacogenomics research continues to evolve and becomes the mainstay of treatment, nurses need to understand the association among genetics, treatment choice, and patient response. ALTHOUGH CLINICIANS ATTEMPT to individualize medication dosages for patients based on weight, age, allergies, organ function, and past drug reactions, responses can vary widely. It is likely that a patient's genetic make-up may account for a considerable disparity in response to treatment or even an adverse drug reaction (ADR) (Beery & Workman, 2012). This disparity has affected healthcare costs and quality, with efficiency rates of commonly prescribed drugs estimated to be between 25%–80% (Visscher et al., 2011). In addition, ADRs in the U.S. are estimated to cost $100 billion annually, form the basis of severe morbidity and mortality issues, and account for 7% of hospital admissions (Visscher et al., 2011). Pharmacogenomics has the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes. Pharmacogenomics is the science of analyzing a patient's deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), recognizing gene variations in response to certain drugs, and thereby making drugs safer and more efficient (Prows, 2011). Pharmacogenomics is quickly becoming a field of research that will change how drugs are prescribed and delivered in the future. As pharmacogenomics research continues to evolve and becomes the mainstay of treatment, nurses need to understand the association among genetics, treatment choice, and patient response (Bartlett, 2011). Establishing the phenotype and genotype relationship through genetic testing is starting to filter its way down to pediatric patients and is beginning to impact decisions for clinical application. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now strongly recommends that genetic testing be performed in children before initiating treatment specifically for cancer,
The power of the press: how one media spark ignited interest in forensic nursing.

How we define ourselves, in concept or practice, is only part of the story. It is how others view forensic nurses that has the potential to shape our growth.
Experimental Investigation of Micro Heat Pipes Fabricated in Silicon Wafers

An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the thermal behavior of arrays of micro heat pipes fabricated in silicon wafers. Two types of micro heat pipe arrays were evaluated, one that utilized machined rectangular channels and the other that used an anisotropic etching process to produce triangular channels. Once fabricated, a clear pyrex cover plate was bonded to the top surface of each wafer using an ultraviolet bonding technique to form the micro heat pipe array. These micro heat pipe arrays were then evacuated and charged with a predetermined amount of methanol. Using an infrared thermal imaging unit, the temperature gradients and maximum localized temperatures were measured and an effective thermal conductivity was computed. The experimental results were compared with those obtained for a plain silicon wafer
A Time Since Recovery Model with Varying Rates of Loss of Immunity

For many infectious diseases, immunity wanes over time. The majority of SIRS models assume that this loss of immunity takes place at a constant rate. We study temporary immunity within a SIRS model structure if the rate of loss of immunity can depend on the time since recovery from disease. We determine the conditions under which the endemic steady state becomes unstable and periodic oscillations set in, showing that a fairly rapid change between slow and rapid immunity loss is necessary to produce oscillations.
Bioactive natural products from blue-green algae

Since 1981 we have cultured and prepared lipophilic and hydrophilic extracts from more than 1500 strains representing some 400 species of blue-green algae. Screening for a wide variety of potentially useful bioactivities, including cytotoxic, multi-drug-resistance reversal, antifungal, and antiviral effects, has led to the discovery and identification of numerous novel bioactive metabolites including peptides, macrolides and glycosides.
Small cryostem for operation of Visible Light Photon Counters (VLPC)

We have designed, constructed, and operated a small cryostem which supports the operation of 32 channels of visible light photon counters (HISTE-IV VLPCs). The VLPCs are situated within a small enclosure which can be lowered into a 30-100 liter dewar. The enthalpy of the boil-off helium keeps the VLPCs cold, and allows the system to be operated with stability for many days within the desired temperature range of 6.0 K-7.5 K. The cryostem is instrumented with clear fiber waveguides which transport the light from an optical connector situated at the top of the cryostem and outside of the dewar to the photosensors at cryogenic temperatures within the dewar. Electrical signals from the VLPCs are amplified at room temperature using QPA02 preamplifiers. Details of design and performance are reviewed.
The use of the diffusion velocity in conservation equations for multicomponent gas mixtures

Abstract The nature of the diffusion velocity for ordinary diffusion is carefully examined. It is shown that its physical character is different to the forced diffusion velocity in that it is not necessary to associate diffusion stresses and kinetic energy with ordinary diffusion. As a consequence, momentum and energy conservation, equations based on coexisting-continua models found in the literature are shown to be of doubtful utility, and are often incorrectly interpreted. In addition, a widely seen form of the thermal energy equation is shown to be in error. A single continuum model is proposed for non-ionized gas mixtures that is adequate for practical use. An appropriate form of the coexisting-continua model conservation equations is given for plasma when forced diffusion is the dominant diffusion mechanism.
Legal Pluralism, State Sovereignty, and Citizenship

Early British colonialism was originally driven by the pragmatic trading needs of the East India Company, which only interfered with local custom and tradition in the interests of company profit. To some extent subsequent British governments adopted similar policies, and this strategy partly explains why postcolonial states such as Singapore, Malaysia, and most African states have always had legal pluralism. In many postcolonial societies in the late twentieth century, there was a political drive by indigenous peoples for customary law, and hence the principle of the unitary sovereign state was, at least in Latin America, weakened. In the contemporary situation, the prospect of accepting Shari'a in many European and North American societies has been rejected on precisely the issue of sovereignty, despite the fact that, for example, religious courts (both Jewish and Muslim) have often operated in such societies. The recent protest against the Archbishop of Canterbury's public lecture 1 is an obvious exampl...
Electronic and mechanical realizations of one-way coupling in one and two dimensions

One-way or unidirectional coupling is a striking example of how topological considerations--the parity of an array of multistable elements combined with periodic boundary conditions--can qualitatively influence dynamics. Here we introduce a simple electronic model of one-way coupling in one and two dimensions and experimentally compare it to an improved mechanical model and an ideal mathematical model. In two dimensions, computation and experiment reveal richer one-way coupling phenomenology: in media where two-way coupling would dissipate all excitations, one-way coupling enables solitonlike waves to propagate in different directions with different speeds.
Archaeological Films: The Past as Present1

Motion-picture films continue to be one of the least discussed aspects of archaeological teaching and research. This essay provides an introductory overview of the more than 170 archaeological films presently distributed in the United States. The history, advantages, and potentials of films in archaeology are also discussed. Reviews of all the films mentioned in this essay are to be found in the accompanying review sections or in recent issues of this journal.
Towards a theory of targeting

Abstract A representative economic model is used to analyze local policies to reestablish full employment. It addresses three types of barriers: 1. Rigid wages, 2. Occupational (or industrial) immobility, and 3. Geographic immobility. These factors are considered in the framework of three types of policies: 1. Laissez-faire, 2. Narrowly targeted employment incentives, and 3. Broadly targeted incentives. The paper concludes that the usefulness of the abstract model will depends upon the ability of local development officials to combine the implications of the model with information about the local economic development narrative. In turn, the narrative depends upon an in-depth local knowledge of history, institutions, practices and personalities.
Academic Freedom and Control.

A fundamental problem for univer sity administrators is establish ing a balance between performing the educational duties of the university on behalf of its main clients (students and research consumers) and granting faculty their professional academic freedom. I have earlier (Raelin 1985) referred to this dilemma as the classic managerial challenge of control vs. au tonomy. The managerial imperative of maintaining control over an organiza tion?that is, seeing that employees carry out its mission?is not that dif ferent regardless of the organization in question and the type of employees. As to the issue of autonomy, it seems to hold a special place among profession als, but even more so among academic professionals. Hence, it merits a pecu liar designation; we call it "academic freedom." Although autonomy can characterize a profession, I use it here to describe a fundamental attribute of professional practice?that a profes sional should have the right to deter mine the problems that he or she will examine as well as the means to be used in confronting these problems. It may well be that academic free dom is more than professional auton omy, although academic freedom has been narrowly construed by some (Mooney 1987) as merely giving facul ty members First Amendment rights.
Inactivation of encephalomyocarditis virus and salmonella typhimurium by using a visible femtosecond laser

We report inactivation of encephalomyocarditis virus and salmonella typhimurium by a visible femtosecond laser. Our results show that inactivation of virus and bacterium by an ultrashort pulsed laser light might involve completely different mechanisms. Inactivation of viruses by an ultrashort pulsed laser might involve disruption of their protein coat through laser-induced excitation of large-amplitude acoustic vibrations. On the other hand, inactivation of bacteria is most likely related to the disruption of their metabolism by the DNA relaxation process caused by irradiation of ultrashort pulsed lasers.
Arthroscopic capsular release of the elbow

Loss of motion of the elbow joint has several etiologies, with trauma to the elbow being most common. Restricted elbow motion can lead directly to functional decline and interfere with activities of daily living. Most patients can regain a functional arc of motion with a combination of physical therapy and a splinting regimen. However, some patients will maintain persistent elbow stiffness. Traditionally, open techniques have been used successfully to release the elbow joint capsule and regain a functional arc of motion. Early results of arthroscopic elbow capsule release were concerning for peripheral nerve injury. Technical advances and modifications have allowed arthroscopic capsular release of the elbow to emerge as a safe and reliable, though technically demanding, and method to restore elbow motion
Actuarial support for the clinical assessment of violence risk

(1997). Actuarial support for the clinical assessment of violence risk. International Review of Psychiatry: Vol. 9, No. 2-3, pp. 167-170.
Upper extremity neurodynamic tests: Range of motion asymmetry may not indicate impairment

Upper extremity (UE) neurodynamic tests are used to examine neural tissue in patients with neuro-musculoskeletal disorders. Although comparisons between involved and uninvolved limbs are made clinically, minimal data exist reflecting the normal variation between sides. The purpose of this study was to determine if within-subject differences exist between limbs in the UE component of neurodynamic tests of the median, radial, and ulnar nerves. Sixty-one healthy subjects were examined. Difference between limbs for the median nerve-biased test was significant (right = 16.4° ± 11.4°, left = 20.1° ± 13.7°; p = 0.045). There was no significant difference between limbs for the radial or ulnar nerve-biased tests. Correlation between limbs was poor for all tests (median r2 = 0.14; radial r2 = 0.20; ulnar r2 = 0.13). Lower-bound scores were calculated to determine the amount of difference needed to consider asymmetry beyond measurement error; the scores for each neurodynamic test were as follows: median 27°, radial ...
Heme-assisted S-nitrosation of a proximal thiolate in a nitric oxide transport protein

Certain bloodsucking insects deliver nitric oxide (NO) while feeding, to induce vasodilation and inhibit blood coagulation. We have expressed, characterized, and determined the crystal structure of the Cimex lectularius (bedbug) nitrophorin, the protein responsible for NO storage and delivery, to understand how the insect successfully handles this reactive molecule. Surprisingly, NO binds not only to the ferric nitrophorin heme, but it can also be stored as an S-nitroso (SNO) conjugate of the proximal heme cysteine (Cys-60) when present at higher concentrations. EPR- and UV-visible spectroscopies, and a crystallographic structure determination to 1.75-A resolution, reveal SNO formation to proceed with reduction of the heme iron, yielding an Fe-NO complex. Stopped-flow kinetic measurements indicate that an ordered reaction mechanism takes place: initial NO binding occurs at the ferric heme and is followed by heme reduction, Cys-60 release from the heme iron, and SNO formation. Release of NO occurs through a reversal of these steps. These data provide, to our knowledge, the first view of reversible metal-assisted SNO formation in a protein and suggest a mechanism for its role in NO release from ferrous heme. This mechanism and Cimex nitrophorin structure are completely unlike those of the nitrophorins from Rhodnius prolixus, where NO protection is provided by a large conformational change that buries the heme nitrosyl complex, highlighting the remarkable evolution of proteins that assist insects in bloodfeeding.
Using A Project/Case Study To Teach Financial Statement Analysis In The Introductory Business Finance Course

This study presents a project, written in the form of a case study and accompanied by a Microsoft Excel template, to be assigned to an introductory course in business finance. The objective is to give introductory finance students an application of financial statement analysis beyond that provided by the typical end-of-chapter problems. The project is designed to enable students to link together the information provided by the several analytical tools—common size financial statements, analytical ratios, and the cash flow statement—and so obtain a complete picture of a firm’s financial performance over the past several years and relative to the average firm in the industry.
A composite kidney stone phantom with mechanical properties controllable over the range of human kidney stones

A novel composite kidney stone phantom has been developed. This stone phantom is producible with mechanical properties mimicking the range of tensile fracture strength and acoustic properties of human kidney stones and is an inorganic/organic composite material, as are natural kidney stones. Diametral compression testing was used to measure tensile fracture strength, which determines the acoustic comminution behavior of kidney stones. Ultrasound transmission tests were made to characterize the acoustic properties of these stone phantoms. Both the tensile fracture strength (controllable from 1 to approximately 5 MPa) and acoustic properties (C(L) = 2700-4400 m/s and C(T)=1600-2300m/s) of these composite phantom stones match those of a wide variety of human kidney stones. These artificial stone phantoms should have wide utility in lithotripsy research.
The Tumor Microenvironment Shapes Lineage, Transcriptional, and Functional Diversity of Infiltrating Myeloid Cells

Myeloid cells play important regulatory roles within the tumor environment by directly promoting tumor progression and modulating the function of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and as such, they represent a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of cancer. Although distinct subsets of tumor-associated myeloid cells have been identified, a broader analysis of the complete myeloid cell landscape within individual tumors and also across different tumor types has been lacking. By establishing the developmental and transcriptomic signatures of infiltrating myeloid cells from multiple primary tumors, we found that tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) and tumor-associated neutrophils (TAN), while present within all tumors analyzed, exhibited strikingly different frequencies, gene expression profiles, and functions across cancer types. We also evaluated the impact of anatomic location and circulating factors on the myeloid cell composition of tumors. The makeup of the myeloid compartment was determined by the tumor microenvironment rather than the anatomic location of tumor development or tumor-derived circulating factors. Protumorigenic and hypoxia-associated genes were enriched in TAMs and TANs compared with splenic myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Although all TANs had an altered expression pattern of secretory effector molecules, in each tumor type they exhibited a unique cytokine, chemokine, and associated receptor expression profile. One such molecule, haptoglobin, was uniquely expressed by 4T1 TANs and identified as a possible diagnostic biomarker for tumors characterized by the accumulation of myeloid cells. Thus, we have identified considerable cancer-specific diversity in the lineage, gene expression, and function of tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells.
Trust: The Unwritten Contract In Corporate Governance

Corporate governance systems exist to discourage self-interested behavior. One question that is often overlooked is how extensive these systems should be. A look at corporate governance today suggests that self-interest is high because companies are compelled - by regulators and the market - to adopt a long list of contracts, controls, and procedures to restrict employee behavior. However, the research literature suggests that companies might benefit if they enacted fewer, rather than more, controls. Companies that successfully foster high levels of trust between employees and monitors benefit from lower bureaucracy, simpler procedures, and higher productivity. We examine this issues in greater detail, and ask: • Would shareholders be better off if companies devoted greater effort to fostering trust? • Can trust be fostered in all settings? • Are some industries more likely to attract individuals that put their own interests first? • How can executives develop a culture that discourages self interest and encourages trust? Topics, Issues and Controversies in Corporate Governance and Leadership: The Closer Look series is a collection of short case studies through which we explore topics, issues, and controversies in corporate governance. In each study, we take a targeted look at a specific issue that is relevant to the current debate on governance and explain why it is so important. Larcker and Tayan are co-authors of the book "Corporate Governance Matters", and "A Real Look at Real World Corporate Governance."
Genomic imprinting: Lessons from mouse transgenes

Genomic imprinting is a non-Mendelian form of inheritance that results in an expression difference between the two parental alleles of an autosomal locus. The study of mouse transgenes has provided us with descriptions of a variety of imprinting or parent-of-origin effects, thereby anticipating similar inheritance phenomena in non-transgenic mice. Many mouse transgenes exhibit parent-of-origin behavior only on mixed strain backgrounds, whereas others are imprinted on inbred strain backgrounds. In the former cases, the parent-of-origin effects are due to strain-specific modifiers of DNA methylation and expression. These are inherited in a parent-specific fashion and exert their effects after fertilization. In the latter cases, true germline transgene imprinting, the creation of an imprinted locus occurs in a series of sequential steps. First, there is an erasure of the imprint from the previous generation in both male and female fetal germ cells. Second, upon completion of gametogenesis, distinctive methylation patterns have been placed on the transgene sequences of the two mature gametes. Third, only one of these inherited patterns is maintained in the early, pre-implantation embryo. The pattern of the other parental allele is erased. Finally, the methylation pattern of the alleles evolve in the later stages of development, but nonetheless the methylation difference (imprint) of the locus persists. Transgene imprinting behaviors, either on mixed strain backgrounds and on inbred genetic backgrounds, have counterparts in endogenous genetic phenomena.
Group Process in the single-gender Women's Recovery Group compared with mixed-gender Group Drug Counseling.

Enhanced affiliation among members is thought to provide increased support for women in single-gender compared with mixed-gender group therapy for substance use disorders (SUDs) and to provide a potential mechanism of action for its efficacy. In a Stage I trial of single-gender versus mixed-gender group therapy for SUDs, we examined affiliative statements made by members in 2 group treatments—the single-gender Women's Recovery Group (WRG) and mixed-gender group drug counseling (GDC). Twenty-eight WRG and 17 GDC group therapy tapes were coded and compared for 5 types of affiliative statements. Three types of affiliative statements (agreement, supportive, and completing a thought) were highly correlated and were more frequent in WRG than in GDC (d = 0.882, p = .27). In GDC, women were more likely to provide an affiliative statement to a male group member than any other combination of directionality (p < .01). Compared with mixed-gender group therapy, single-gender group therapy for SUDs may enhance support ...
The charge exchange recombination diagnostic system on the DIII-D tokamak

The charge exchange recombination, (CER) diagnostic system on the DIII-D tokamak is used to make spatially and temporally resolved measurements of the ion temperature and toroidal and poloidal rotation velocities. This is performed through visible spectroscopic measurements of the Doppler-broadened and Doppler-shifted He II 468.6-nm, CVI 529.1-nm, and BV 494.5-nm spectral lines which have been excited by charge exchange recombination interactions between the fully stripped ions and the neutral atoms from the heating beams. The plasma viewing optics comprises 32 viewing chords spanning a typical plasma minor radius of 63 cm across the midplane, of which 15 spatial chords span 4.2 cm at the plasma edge just within the separatrix and provide a chord-to-chord spatial resolution of 0.3 cm. Fast camera readout electronics can provide a temporal resolution of 260 mu s per time slice, but the effective minimum integration time, at present, is 1 ms, which is limited by the detected photon flux from the plasma and the decay times of the phosphors used on the multichannel plate image intensifiers. Significant changes in the edge plasma radial electric field at the L-H transition have been observed, as determined from the CER measurements, and these results are being extensively compared to theories which consider the effects of sheared electric fields on plasma turbulence. >
Unicircular structure of the Brassica hirta mitochondrial genome.

Restriction mapping studies reveal that the mitochondrial genome of white mustard (Brassica hirta) exists in the form of a single circular 208 kb chromosome. The B. hirta genome has only one copy of the two sequences which, in several related Brassica species, are duplicated and undergo intramolecular recombination. This first report of a plant mitochondrial DNA that does not exist in a multipartite structure indicates that high frequency intramolecular recombination is not an obligatory feature of plant mitochondrial genomes. Heterologous filter hybridizatios reveal that the mitochondrial genomes of B. hirta and B. campestris have diverged radically in sequence arrangement, as the result of approximately 10 large inversions. At the same time, however, the two genomes are similar in size, sequence content, and primary sequence.
A low torque ripple PMSM drive for EPS applications

This paper describes the practical design considerations of a low torque ripple permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drive for electric power steering (EPS) application. The impact of various controller elements on torque ripple performance is discussed in detail. The experimental results show that the low cost dc-link current sensing scheme used in the design can achieve excellent and consistent torque ripple performance (less than 2% peak-to-peak at 1 N.m.), and is well suited for EPS application.
The Relationship between Convergence Insufficiency and ADHD

Background: Children being evaluated for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often have an eye exam as part of their evaluation. The symptoms of convergence insufficiency (CI) can make ...
Approximate matrix factorization using overlapped localizing functions on a shifted tree

Different types of local global solution (LOGOS) modes have been proposed to develop fast direct solvers for electromagnetic wave problems. While the non-overlapping localizing LOGOS (NL-LOGOS) factorization is provably error controllable, it is more difficult to control the factorization error when using overlapped localizing LOGOS (OL-LOGOS) modes. This paper describes a new procedure for obtaining the OL-LOGOS modes. It is shown that the new procedure provides higher efficiency than the NL-LOGOS factorization while providing improved error control performance.
On illumination schemes for wide-field CARS microscopy

New system for a wide-field CARS microscopy is demonstrated, including two schemes of non-phase-matching illumination. Several advantages including high Stokes pulse energy, pulse-to-pulse stability and inherent synchronization between pump and Stokes pulses were brought by use of methane-filled Raman converter. Spatial resolution of the system with axially symmetric illumination, 0.5μm, was found to correspond to diffraction limit of the imaging objective. Selective sensitivity to lipid-rich myelin sheaths in the nerve tissue has been demonstrated and confirmed by comparison with histological samples stained with myelin-specific dye. Single-shot imaging capability of the system has been demonstrated with a speckling-free illumination on a monolayer of 3μm polystyrene beads.
Computer Simulation of Failure in an Elastic Model with Randomly Distributed Defects

The authors analyze a simple model of failure in an elastic material with randomly distributed defects. The model that they employ is a two-dimensional triangular lattice of springs. These springs are linearly elastic up to some small strain and irreversibly break at larger strain. Defects are introduced into the model by breaking a certain fraction of the springs before straining. During the simulation, a uniaxial strain is applied, the equilibrium configuration of the lattice is determined, and then the strain is incremented again. The failure stress is found to decrease as the fraction of springs removed is increased and decreases logarithmically with linear dimension of the sample L. The cumulative failure stress distribution is well fitted by the form F(sigma) = 1 - exp(cL/sup -2/ exp(-k/sigma/sup ..mu../)), where sigma is the failure stress, ..mu.. is a constant between 1 and 2, and c and k are constants which are characteristic of the microscopic properties of the system.