cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of ecological resources at operating facilities at contaminated sites: The Department of Energy's Hanford Site as a case study

Abstract The U.S. and other developed nations are faced with many contaminated sites remaining from World War II, the Cold War, and abandoned industries, that require remediation and restoration to allow future land uses with minimum acceptable risk to humans and ecological resources. For large Department of Energy (DOE) sites with massive remediation tasks remaining, it is important for managers to be able to assure regulators, Tribal Nations, and the public that human and ecological health are protected. Hanford Site has the largest and most expensive cleanup task within the DOE complex; cleanup will continue beyond 2090. Cleanup involves the use of operating facilities, which also may present a risk to humans or ecological resources. We present a brief description of a methodology to evaluate risks to ecological receptors at the Hanford Site from remaining remediation tasks, and evaluate the risk to ecological resources that operating facilities present currently, during active cleanup of these facilities, and during the post cleanup period. Operating facilities include current, active operations that are located on the site and aid in site cleanup, including both storage and treatment operations. At the Hanford Site, they include waste treatment plants, sludge basins, waste trenches, Central Waste Complex, storage facilities, and disposal facilities, among others. Risk ratings for ecological resources are highest during the remediation phase. Risk ratings for the operating facilities at the Hanford Site range from not discernible to medium currently, from not discernible (ND) to high during active cleanup, and from not discernible to medium following cleanup. The highest ratings are for the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant that is being constructed to stabilize radioactive and chemical wastes, and the Liquid Effluent Retention and Treatment Facility that removes and deactivates hazardous contaminants from waste water. Higher ratings in the post-cleanup period are largely due to restoration of ecological resources during cleanup, which increases the potential for injury (if these resources are harmed) because a site will then have higher quality resources after cleanup than it did before. Assessing the value of ecological resources, and determining potential consequences during active remediation and after remediation is essential for compliance with state and federal laws. Understanding the risks to ecological resources from now until clean-up is completed at these facilities is important because of the potential for ecological resources of high value to be degraded, and because cleanup completion is not expected until 2090 or later. The methodology can be applied to any contaminated site requiring a rapid method of assessing potential damages to ecological resources from proposed management actions.
Impact of Intra-Operative Adverse Events on the Risk of Surgical Site Infection in Abdominal Surgery.

Abstract Background: Intra-operative adverse events (iAEs) recently were shown to correlate independently with an increased risk of post-operative death, morbidity, re-admissions, and length of hos...
Combined Immunodeficiency With Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a Patient With TTC7A Deficiency

Tetratricopeptide repeat domain-7A (TTC7A) deficiency causing combined immunodeficiency with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is rare. This case report alerts physicians to the possibility of TTC7A deficiency causing combined immunodeficiency with IBD and also highlights some of the current treatment options. We describe a 19-year-old patient with a compound heterozygote TTC7A mutation causing combined immunodeficiency, IBD, and multiple intestinal atresia. Compound heterozygote TTC7A mutations are known to cause combined immunodeficiency and IBD. Although rare, clinicians should be alerted to this variant and should understand the general approach to treatment.
A method to implement continuous characters in digital identification keys that estimates the probability of an annotation

Premise Species identification is vital to many disciplines. Digital technology has improved identification tools, but the direct use of characters with continuous states has yet to be fully realized. To achieve full use of continuous characters for identification, I propose a classifier that calculates a posterior probability (degree of belief) in possible name assignments and an estimate of the relative evidence for the candidate annotations. Methods A model for a species is defined using continuous morphological characters, and an algorithm for identification with a naive Bayesian classifier, using the model, is presented. A method of estimating the strength of evidence for candidate species is also described. Results The proposed method is applied in two example identifications: native vs. invasive Myriophyllum in North America and vegetative Rhipidocladum bamboos in Mexico. In each instance, the new method provides a probability and estimate of the strength of the probability to enhance the name assignment in situations where taxa are difficult to differentiate using discrete character states. Discussion Naive Bayesian classifiers take advantage of the predictive information inherent in continuous morphological characters. Application of this methodology to plant taxonomy advances our ability to leverage digital technology for improved interactive taxonomic identifications.
Matching μ-Logic

Matching logic is a logic for specifying and reasoning about structure by means of patterns and pattern matching. This paper makes two contributions. First, it proposes a sound and complete proof system for matching logic in its full generality. Previously, sound and complete deduction for matching logic was known only for particular theories providing equality and membership. Second, it proposes matching $\mu$ -Iogic, an extension of matching logic with a least fixpoint $\mu$ -binder, It is shown that matching $\mu$ -Iogic captures as special instances many important logics in mathematics and computer science, including first-order logic with least fixpoints, modal $\mu$ -Iogic as well as dynamic logic and various temporal logics such as infinite/finite-trace linear temporal logic and computation tree logic, and notably reachability logic, the underlying logic of the $\mathbb{k}$ framework for programming language semantics and formal analysis. Matching $\mu$ -logic therefore serves as a unifying foundation for specifying and reasoning about fixpoints and induction, programming languages and program specification and verification.
Scalable laser powder bed fusion processing of nitinol shape memory alloy

The authors report on pulsed laser powder bed fusion fabrication of nitinol (NiTi) shape memory materials. The authors first performed single-track laser parameter sweeps to assess melt pool stability and determine energy parameters and hatch spacing for larger builds. The authors then assessed the melt pool chemistry as a function of laser energy density and build plate composition. Brittle intermetallics were found to form at the part/build plate interface for both N200 and Ti-6-4 substrates. The intermetallic formation was reduced by building on a 50Ni–50Ti substrate, but delamination still occurred due to thermal stresses upon cooling. The authors were able to overcome delamination on all substrates and fabricate macroscopic parts by building a lattice support structure, which is both compliant and controls heat transfer into the build plate. This approach will enable scalable fabrication of complex NiTi parts.
Giant Cerebral Aneurysms: Comparing CTA, MRA, and Digital Subtraction Angiography Assessments.

Background and purpose Comprehensive imaging characterization of the morphology and luminal patency of cerebral aneurysms are cornerstones of their successful treatment and subsequent appropriate management. Giant cerebral aneurysms (GCAs), a distinct subgroup of aneurysms, are defined by large size (≥ 25 mm in greatest diameter), complex blood flow dynamics, and a high risk of rupture. The purpose of this study is to explore compare multiple imaging modalities in the assessment of GCAs. Methods This study retrospectively evaluated CT angiography (CTA), 3D time-of-flight (TOF) MR angiography (MRA), contrast-enhanced MRA (CEMRA), and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in characterizing GCAs in 21 patients. Results Aneurysm size ranged from 26 to 58 mm (mean 31.3 ± 12.2) and 18/21 (85.7%) had intraluminal thrombus. No significant difference was found between the aneurysmal sizes of any two modalities regarding comparisons of CTA, 3D TOFMRA, and CEMRA. However, there were significant differences in the aneurysmal patency visibility grade between CTA versus TOFMRA and CTA versus CEMRA. Moreover, the patent luminal size measured on CTA was significantly larger than DSA. Conclusions CTA, 3D TOFMRA, and CEMRA are equivalent in the delineation of size of GCAs. Nevertheless, 3D TOFMRA and CEMRA seem to be inferior to CTA in demonstrating luminal size/patency, likely because of the signal loss resulting from the presence of intraluminal thrombus and flow turbulence. Moreover, CTA is superior to DSA in determining lumen patency in GCAs, probably due to CTA's multipass-related luminal enhancement while DSA general fills the lesion via the first pass of enhancement or soon thereafter. In addition, CTA may also better demonstrate intraluminal thrombus, adjacent anatomical structures, and calcified rims.
Seeking a Post-Opioid Model of Pain Management

In the wake of sharp reductions in opioid prescriptions by NEJM Catalyst Insights Council members, integrated care and broader reimbursement are necessary to help patients’ pain, especially chronic...
Safety of Coupled Arterial Anastomosis in Autologous Breast Reconstruction.

Background This study compares the outcomes of coupled versus hand-sewn arterial anastomosis in microvascular breast reconstruction. Methods Retrospective chart review of breast reconstruction free flaps performed between 2013 and 2018 was conducted. Primary end points included flap loss, intraoperative arterial anastomosis revision, and operating room takeback. The decision to couple the arterial anastomosis was based on patient's age, surgeon's preference, history of radiation, and vessel quality. All anastomoses were performed under ×3.5 loupe magnification to internal mammary or thoracodorsal vessels. Results Authors reviewed 104 free flaps; two were lost in hand-sewn group; no flaps were lost in coupled group. There was no significant difference in anastomotic revision rate between coupled and hand-sewn arterial anastomosis (p = 0.186) or return to operating room (OR) between coupled and hand-sewn flaps (p = 1.000). Reasons for takeback included venous congestion and hematoma. Conclusion This study reflects that coupled arterial anastomosis in breast reconstruction may be safely performed without increased risk in anastomotic revision, takeback, or flap loss. Decision to couple should be based on surgeon skill, patient age and history, and assessment of flap and recipient site vasculature.
Association of Early-Life Trauma and Risk of Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes in Young and Middle-aged Individuals With a History of Myocardial Infarction.

Importance Compared with older patients, young adults with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) tend to have a higher burden of psychosocial adversity. Exposure to early-life stressors may contribute to the risk of adverse outcomes in this patient population, potentially through inflammatory pathways. Objective To investigate the association of early-life trauma with adverse events and examine whether inflammation plays a role. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study included patients aged 18 to 60 years with a verified history of MI in the past 8 months from a university-affiliated hospital network. Baseline data were collected from June 2011 to March 2016, and follow-up data were obtained through July 2019. Analysis began September 2019. Exposures Early-life trauma was assessed using the Early Trauma Inventory–Self Report short form (ETI-SR-SF), both as a continuous and as a binary variable at the threshold of a score of 7 or higher. Inflammatory biomarkers, interleukin 6, and C-reactive protein were obtained at baseline. Main Outcomes and Measures A composite end point of recurrent MI, stroke, heart failure hospitalization, and cardiovascular death over a median 3-year follow-up. Results Of 300 patients, the mean (SD) age was 51 (7) years, 198 (66%) were African American, and 150 (50%) were women. Compared with participants with MI with an ETI-SR-SF score less than 7, those with a score of 7 or higher had higher levels of interleukin 6 and C-reactive protein at baseline. Compared with participants with an ETI-SR-SF score less than 7, those with a score of 7 or higher were at a greater risk for adverse outcomes, with a hazards ratio of 2.3 (95% CI, 1.3-3.9). Results remained consistent in multivariable analysis. Further adjustment for C-reactive protein rendered the results no longer statistically significant. Early-life trauma displayed a dose-dependent response when analyzed as a continuous variable and by quartiles. Conclusions and Relevance Early-life trauma is an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes in young and middle-aged individuals with a history of MI. Neurobiological mechanisms leading to lifetime activation of systemic inflammatory cascades may be implicated.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on U.S. Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Training

Background: Although it is well known that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had a profound effect on health care, its impact on fellowship training in Pulmonary and Critical Care Med...
Evolution of Time in Neural Networks: From the Present to the Past, and Forward to the Future

What is time? Since the function of the brain is closely tied in with that of time, investigating the origin of time in the brain can help shed light on this question. In this paper, we propose to use simulated evolution of artificial neural networks to investigate the relationship between time and brain function, and the evolution of time in the brain. A large number of neural network models are based on a feedforward topology (perceptrons, backpropagation networks, radial basis functions, support vector machines, etc.), thus lacking dynamics. In such networks, the order of input presentation is meaningless (i.e., it does not affect the behavior) since the behavior is largely reactive. That is, such neural networks can only operate in the present, having no access to the past or the future. However, biological neural networks are mostly constructed with a recurrent topology, and recurrent (artificial) neural network models are able to exhibit rich temporal dynamics, thus time becomes an essential factor in their operation. In this paper, we will investigate the emergence of recollection and prediction in evolving neural networks. First, we will show how reactive, feedforward networks can evolve a memory-like function (recollection) through utilizing external markers dropped and detected in the environment. Second, we will investigate how recurrent networks with more predictable internal state trajectory can emerge as an eventual winner in evolutionary struggle when competing networks with less predictable trajectory show the same level of behavioral performance. We expect our results to help us better understand the evolutionary origin of recollection and prediction in neuronal networks, and better appreciate the role of time in brain function.
Bifurcation From Periodic Solutions with Spatiotemporal Symmetry

In this paper, we discuss some recent developments in the understanding of generic bifurcation from periodic solutions with spatiotemporal symmetries. We focus mainly on the theory for bifurcation from isolated periodic solutions in dynamical systems with a compact symmetry group. Moreover, we discuss how our theory justifies certain heuristic assumptions underlying previous approaches towards period preserving and period doubling bifurcation from periodic solutions.
A Review of “Food Will Win the War: Minnesota Crops, Cooks, and Conservation During World War I”: by Rae Katherine Eighmey (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2010)

Food Will Win the War: Minnesota Crops, Cooks, and Conservation during World War I is a wonderful contribution to Minnesota history. It tells the story of Minnesotans’ experiences with food conserv...
Cystic lymphangioma of the pancreas.

We read with interest the recent case report entitled ‘Giant cystic lymphangioma of pancreas’ in the August edition of the Journal. We recently saw a case in pathology consultation involving a 46-year-old woman who presented with left-sided abdominal pain, bloating and firmness. Physical examination indicated a large, leftsided, mildly tender intra-abdominal mass. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a well-circumscribed, 15-cm, predominantly cystic multiloculated mass within the tail of the pancreas. No enlarged intra-abdominal lymph nodes were seen. Exploratory laparotomy indicated a large cystic mass in the tail of the pancreas, displacing intra-abdominal organs and producing illformed adhesions to the surrounding structures. A distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy were performed. Gross examination of the distal pancreatectomy specimen showed a lobulated cystic mass with hemorrhagic contents. Microscopic sections demonstrated a multilocular cyst, lined by flattened lymphatic endothelial cells, without cytological atypia (Fig. 1). Scattered small lymphocytic aggregates were seen closely associated with the cyst wall. The multiple cysts were separated by a spindled stroma, without cytological atypia. Cyst contents included serous fluid and blood. Background pancreatic parenchyma was without significant alterations. A pathologic diagnosis of cystic lymphangioma of the pancreas was made. The patient had an uneventful recovery and was discharged on postoperative day 8, eating and ambulating well. As the authors mention, this is a rare benign neoplasm of the lymphatic system that may rarely involve the pancreas, with <100 reported cases in almost 100 years. Histologic features can be divided into three subtypes: cystic, cavernous or capillary. The cystic and cavernous types have been reported in the pancreas. A rare case has been reported to extend into the duodenal wall, causing gastrointestinal bleeding. The histopathologic differential diagnosis includes other, more common cystic lesions of the pancreas, such as simple cysts, pseudocysts, serous cystic neoplasms, mucinous cystic neoplasms, including adenocarcinoma, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms and cystic islet cell tumors. Although various imaging features can help, definitive diagnosis requires pathologic examination of the excised lesion.
Leakage behavior and reliability assessment of tantalum oxide dielectric MIM capacitors

Reliability assessment was used extensively during the development of allow leakage tantalum oxide MIM (metal-insulator-metal) capacitor targeted for a Cu-based wireless integrated circuit platform. Leakage of the MIM capacitor as a function of process conditions and lifetime behavior under both DC and AC stressing is presented.
Identification in H ∞ with nonuniformly spaced frequency response measurements

In this paper, the problem of "system identification in H∞" is investigated in the case when the given frequency response data is not necessarily on a uniformly spaced grid of frequencies. A large class of robustly convergent identification algorithms are derived.
Factorial study of remote manipulation with transmission of time delay.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1971.
Hormonal Influences on the Pelvic Floor

Hormonal replacement therapy has a prominent role in the treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction. The preferred route of administration is local with vaginal creams, rings, or tablets. This low-dose route of administration is not associated with any significant systemic absorption, thus minimizing any concerns regarding potential vascular, cardiac, or breast consequences of systemic hormonal replacement therapy. We routinely prescribe low-dose local estrogen therapy for our postmenopausal urogynecologic patients, combined with patient education materials in order to optimize compliance with therapy.
Artifacts as Social Interference: The Politics of Spatial Scale

This is an article on the theory of method in archaeology. Often spatial method structures the archaeological record quite contrary to the goals of archaeologists. Even before archaeologists have posed their questions, defined their problems, or spelled out their research designs, spatial method may have structured their data already. Such a pre-given data structure might make it difficult, if not impossible, to reach certain kinds of conclusions, while making other conclusions virtually inescapable. My article argues that theory needs to instruct spatial method at any point of archaeological practice lest archaeologists lose theoretical control over their research. There are four parts to my argument. I lay out some basic assumptions, caricature normal archaeological practice, lay out a theoretical critique of that practice, and develop some alternatives to present practice.
Nucleoside phosphorothioates—I : Thiophosphorylation of nucleosides with phosphorus thioxy-anions☆

Abstract The reactivity of the two phosphorus thioxy-anions, monothiophosphate and dithiophosphate towards nucleosides was investigated. Reaction of monothiophosphate, in its monoanionic form, with several nucleosides at 70° gave the corresponding nucleoside-O-phosphorothioates in yields ranging from 50 to 90%. The 5′-OH vs 3′-OH selectivity in thiophosphorylation was found to be 2:1, respectively. Evidence is presented to support the role of monothiopyrophosphate, derived from initial dimerization of monothiophosphate, as the active thiophosphorylating agent. Independently prepared monothiopyrophosphate was found to thiophosphorylate thymidine smoothly at room temperature in 63% yield. Reaction of dithiophosphate with several nucleosides at room temperature gave exclusively the corresponding nucleoside-O-phosphorothioates in yields ranging from 45 to 65%. The selectivity for 5′-OH vs 3′-OH thiophosphorylation using this reagent is 3:2, respectively.
Evaluation of reverse link performance of a CDMA system with imperfect beamforming

Reverse link capacity of a direct-sequence code-division multiple-access (DS-CDMA) system in a multicell environment has been studied recently and significant capacity improvement due to the use of beamforming has been observed. However, system performance with beamforming is affected by several impairments, such as direction of arrival (DOA) estimation errors, array perturbations and mutual coupling. The reverse link performance of CDMA systems with beamforming under these impairments (imperfect beamforming) is investigated. A simplified beamforming model is developed to evaluate the system performance in terms of user capacity and outage probabilities. Both signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) based power control and strength-based power control are considered. The capacity degradation due to different impairments is shown and outage probabilities under different power control schemes are compared.
Genetic Interaction of Flavivirus Nonstructural Proteins NS1 and NS4A as a Determinant of Replicase Function

Nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) of yellow fever virus (YF) is a glycoprotein localized to extracytoplasmic compartments within infected cells. We have previously shown that NS1 can be supplied in trans and is required for viral RNA replication, a process thought to occur in membrane-bound cytoplasmic complexes. Here we report that the NS1 gene from a related virus, dengue virus (DEN), is unable to function in the process of YF RNA replication. This virus-specific incompatibility leads to a lack of initial minus-strand accumulation, suggesting that DEN NS1 is unable to productively interact with the YF replicase. Based on a YF deletion mutant that requires NS1 in trans, a genetic screen for suppressor mutants was used to select virus variants able to utilize DEN NS1. In three independent selections, a single mutation was mapped to the NS4A gene, which encodes a putative transmembrane replicase component. This mutation, as well as several additional mutations, was engineered into the NS1-deficient genome and confirmed a genetic interaction between NS1 and NS4A. These findings suggest a potential mechanism for integrating NS1 into the cytoplasmic process of RNA replication.
Contrast enhanced through casing hydraulic fractures mapping

Hydraulic fracturing is being performed in more than 60 years in more than a million wells and counting. Despite the long history in hydraulic fracturing, the growth of fractures over time is not well understood. The creation of hydraulic fractures can be monitored in real time via micro-seismic method. However, this method is only effective during fracturing process. After hydraulic fractures are created, the growth of fractures remains unknown. There is a lack of methods to effectively characterize fractures in the post fracturing period.
Assessing Potential Reactivity of Aggregates in Presence of Potassium Acetate Deicer: Revised Mortar Bar Test Method

The standard ASTM C1260 and ASTM C1293 test methods focus on identifying aggregate reactivity in the presence of alkali hydroxides. The sensitivity of these test methods to assess aggregate reactivity in the presence of deicing chemicals is unknown. Preliminary efforts to develop a test method to identify aggregate reactivity in the presence of deicing chemicals yielded a mortar bar test (EB-70 test) based on soaking the mortar bars containing the suspect aggregates in a 6.4 molar potassium acetate (6.4 M KAc) deicer solution, instead of a 1 normal sodium hydroxide (1 N NaOH) solution, as in the standard ASTM C1260 test. The EB-70 test method was effective in identifying highly reactive aggregates but erratic in assessing moderate, slowly reactive aggregates. Deficiencies in that method were attributed to the lack of a precise understanding of the mechanisms involved in high pH jump observed on interaction of KAc with alkali hydroxides and calcium hydroxide. The knowledge gained in recent studies in under...
MACRO‐ECONOMIC FACTORS AND STOCK RETURNS

This paper explores the economic nature of return factors by incorporating a multifactor return generating process into the traditional CAPM. It attempts to remedy the arbitrage pricing theory, which is not capable of assigning proper economic meanings to return factors. There are at least three significant factors associated with general production, investment, financial, and employment variables. These economic factors explain the risk-return relationship as well as those obtained by the arbitrage pricing theory.
Effect of X-Radiation upon Succinoxidase of Rat Kidney

Summary1. The succinoxidase system, as well as its component enzymes, the -SH enzyme succinic dehydrogenase, and cytochrome oxidase, were determined in rat kidney homogenates within two hours after rats were X-irradiated with 400 r or 800 r. No inhibition of any of the enzymes was found. 2. The metabolism of kidney slices from rats given the above amounts of X-radiation was studied manometrieally with sodium succinate and lithium pyruvate substrates. No statistically significant differences were obtained between the oxidative activities of the kidney slices from the control and irradiated animals. 3. The lack of correlation between certain of the in vivo and in vitro effects of irradiation upon enzyme systems is discussed.
Appearance-Based Inferences Bias Source Memory

Previous research varying the trustworthiness of appearance has demonstrated that facial characteristics contribute to source memory. Two studies extended this work by investigating the contribution to source memory of babyfaceness, a facial quality known to elicit strong spontaneous trait inferences. Young adult participants viewed younger and older babyfaced and mature-faced individuals paired with sentences that were either congruent or incongruent with the target's facial characteristics. Identifying a source as dominant or submissive was least accurate when participants chose between a target whose behavior was incongruent with facial characteristics and a lure whose face mismatched the target in appearance but matched the source memory question. In Experiment 1, this effect held true when older sources were identified, but not own-age, younger sources. When task difficulty was increased in Experiment 2, the relationship between face-behavior congruence and lure facial characteristics persisted, but it was not moderated by target age even though participants continued to correctly identify fewer older than younger sources. Taken together, these results indicate that trait expectations associated with variations in facial maturity can bias source memory for both own- and other-age faces, although own-age faces are less vulnerable to this bias, as is shown in the moderation by task difficulty.
Testing wound dressings using an in vitro wound model

Objective To determine whether or not there are any significant differences in the effects of wound dressings on bacterial bioburden. Method A selection of non-occlusive, non-adhesive dressings was tested for their effect on bacterial bioburden. The dressings selected included two dressings with antimicrobial properties (one containing silver and one containing PHMB), a cotton-based dressing enclosed in a perforated sleeve of poly(ethylene terephthalate), a carboxymethyl cellulose-based dressing, a fibre-free alginate dressing, and a 12-ply 100% cotton gauze. Using the colony-drip flow reactor (DFR) model, a meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm was grown underneath a dressing sample. Biofilm growth was examined via plate counts, fluorescent microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Results The dressings containing antimicrobial agents had the greatest effect on bacterial load. In the MRSA experiments, both antimicrobial dressings produced lower bacteria co...
Promoter deletion analysis elucidates the role of cis elements and 5'UTR intron in spatiotemporal regulation of AtPht1;4 expression in Arabidopsis

The high-affinity phosphate transporter AtPht1;4 (Arabidopsis phosphate transporter1;4) is not only induced in response to inorganic phosphate (Pi) starvation but also preferentially expressed in the roots of Arabidopsis. In this study, we carried out AtPht1;4 promoter deletion analysis to identify regions that control the Pi responsiveness and spatiotemporal expression of the gene. Expression cassettes with truncated promoter fragments cloned to GUS (beta-glucuronidase) coding sequence were developed. Full-length promoter (-2327) and truncations up to -1436 (from the translational start) showed normal expression of GUS in various parts of the plants. The Pi responsiveness and inducibility of the reporter gene remained unaltered. However, deletion of the promoter region containing the first PHR1-binding site (P1BS) motif (-1350) abolished the AtPht1;4 expression in roots but not in aerial parts. A 164-bp region immediately upstream of the transcription start site appears to be sufficient for the basal expression of the gene. Interestingly, the 5'UTR (5' untranslated region) intron exhibited weak promoter activity as evidenced by its ability to drive the expression of AtPht1;4 in stipules and reproductive organs. Further analyses showed that the 5'UTR intron is essential for AtPht1;4 expression in root tips besides enhancing the level of expression in roots during Pi starvation. However, expression of AtPht1;4 in aerial parts of the plant was not influenced by the intron. Together these results suggest that expression of AtPht1;4 in the roots and aerial parts is regulated by independent mechanisms.
Chemistry of thienopyridines. IV. Syntheses of 5‐substituted thieno[2,3‐b] pyridines

Chemical transformations on 5-acetylthieno[2,3–6] pyridine produced 5-NH2, 5-CO2H, and 5-CH2 CO2H substituents. The 5-amino compound underwent facile diazotization (plus Sand-meyer reaction), Schiff's base formation, and acylation. Treatment of the derived 5-bromo compound with potassium amide in liquid ammonia gave a mixture of 4-amino (major) and 5-amino isomers. Nmr spectral data are reported for the 5-substituted thieno [2,3-b] pyridine system.
Do Information Communication Technologies Promote Rural Economic Development

Current literature focuses upon the importance of deploying advanced telecommunications in rural communities to achieve various objectives, including economic development. Once advanced information...
Relativity of motion: From Occam to Galileo

(1974). Relativity of motion: From Occam to Galileo. Annals of Science: Vol. 31, No. 6, pp. 529-545.
The Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) in Middle Childhood: A Study of Three Large-Scale Data Sets

Objective. Conceptually sound subscales for the Middle-Childhood Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (MC-HOME) were created and evaluated utilizing 3 large-scale data sets including children ages 6 to 9 years: the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN), Panel Study of Income Dynamics-Child Development Supplement (PSID-CDS), and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-Child Supplement (NLSY-CS). Design. Sample sizes were 459 children in the PHDCN, 152 children in the PSID-CDS, and 6,961 children in the NLSY-CS. We grouped items into subscales based on conceptual coherence and evaluated the reliability of the proposed subscales by examining individual item-to-scale correlations and Cronbach's alphas. We tested predictive validity by calculating correlations with cognitive and behavioral outcomes in each data set. Results. Results suggest 7 out of 9 conceptually based MC-HOME subscales are associated with children's cognitive status, even after adjustment for key demo...
Motivating and retaining engineering students by integrating real world engineering problems into the calculus courses

Many students who switch away from an engineering major cite math, specifically calculus, as one of the most influential factors in that decision. This paper presents a method to improve engineering student persistence and learning in calculus without any changes in the current calculus curriculum. The proposed method combines the integration of real world engineering problems into existing Calculus II courses and engineering mentors to help students to solve calculus problems. The implementation of this method was achieved through a pilot study administered to undergraduate engineering students enrolled in a Calculus II course at a mid-size research institution in the Midwest. The results of the pilot show that engineering problems helped the student participants to learn calculus. Students benefited from working closely with their peers and their mentors in the Calculus II course, and they felt more connected to other students in math and/or engineering.
Dynamics in the U6 RNA intramolecular stem-loop: a base flipping conformational change.

The U6 RNA intramolecular stem−loop (ISL) structure is an essential component of the spliceosome and binds a metal ion required for pre-messenger RNA splicing. The metal binding internal loop region of the stem contains a partially protonated C67−+A79 base pair (pKa = 6.5) and an unpaired U80 nucleotide that is stacked within the helix at pH 7.0. Here, we determine that protonation occurs with an exchange lifetime of approximately 20 μs and report the solution structures of the U6 ISL at pH 5.7. The differences between pH 5.7 and 7.0 structures reveal that the pH change significantly alters the RNA conformation. At lower pH, U80 is flipped out into the major groove. Base flipping involves a purine stacking interaction of flanking nucleotides, inversion of the sugar pucker 5‘ to the flipped base, and phosphodiester backbone rearrangement. Analysis of residual dipolar couplings as a function of pH indicates that base flipping is not restricted to a local conformational change. Rather, base flipping alters t...
The placental transfer of fluoride in the guinea pig.

Abstract Two studies were conducted to investigate the placental transfer of fluoride in the guinea pig. Adult female guinea pigs were provided various levels of fluoride ranging from 1 to 50 ppm during gestation and the amount of fluoride retained in the foetus at birth was determined. The results obtained indicate that a significant placental transfer of fluoride occurs in the guinea pig at all levels of fluoride provided during gestation. The results also indicate that the previous exposure of the mothers to fluoride prior to gestation influences the amount of fluoride transferred to the foetal tissues with the second generation of offspring retaining more fluoride during foetal development than the first generation. Collectively, these data suggest that the guinea pig may be an acceptable means of evaluating the placental transfer of fluoride in the human although one must exercise considerable caution in translating these findings to the human due to the large amount of species variation which has been shown in previous studies.
HIV Infection and Complications in Emergency Medicine

HIV infection is a common worldwide public health challenge affecting an estimated 40 million persons. In the United States, there have been over 900,000 cases of AIDS, and it is estimated that there are currently over 1 million HIV-infected persons in the United States. Although the population of HIV seropositivity is concentrated in large urban settings, infections have been documented in all states. Because of the widespread prevalence and serious health consequences, it is imperative that the emergency physician be knowledgeable and skilled to diagnose and manage HIV-related emergency conditions. Knowledge of clinical presentations, differential diagnosis, early treatment strategies, and disposition options is crucial to the effective emergency department management of HIV infections and AIDS.
Adaptive Backpressure: Efficient buffer management for on-chip networks

This paper introduces Adaptive Backpressure, a novel scheme that improves the utilization of dynamically managed router input buffers by continuously adjusting the stiffness of the flow control feedback loop in response to observed traffic conditions. Through a simple extension to the router's flow control mechanism, the proposed scheme heuristically limits the number of credits available to individual virtual channels based on estimated downstream congestion, aiming to minimize the amount of buffer space that is occupied unproductively. This leads to more efficient distribution of buffer space and improves isolation between multiple concurrently executing workloads with differing performance characteristics. Experimental results for a 64-node mesh network show that Adaptive Backpressure improves network stability, leading to an average 2.6× increase in throughput under heavy load across traffic patterns. In the presence of background traffic, the proposed scheme reduces zero-load latency by an average of 31%. Finally, it mitigates the performance degradation encountered when latency- and throughput-optimized execution cores contend for network resources in a heterogeneous chip multi-processor; across a set of PARSEC benchmarks, we observe an average reduction in execution time of 34%.
Codon preference is but an illusion created by the construction principle of coding sequences

Abstract Modern coding sequences are in the periodicto-chaotic transition. In the case of two related sequences for lens alpha A-crystallin and small heat shock protein, the original repeating units were heptameric in length. Accordingly, base trimers that were parts of heptameric units recurred far more frequently than those that were not included. In the crystallin coding sequence, CTG trimer recurred 21 times, and TCT and TCC trimers recurred 17 times each. By contrast, CTA and TCG, although related to the above, recurred only 4 and 3 times, respectively. It is a small wonder that 10 of the 16 leucine residues were encoded by CTG, whereas none was encoded by CTA, and that 17 of the 23 serine residues were encoded either by TCT or by TCC, whereas only 1 was encoded by TCG. In the small heat shock protein coding sequence, however, AGC became parts of the two prominent heptameric recurring units. Not surprisingly, 10 of the 22 serine residues were now encoded by AGC. In conclusion, the so-called codon preference is a mere reflection of the construction principle of coding sequences and has very little to do with selection per se.
The Meaning of Work for Older Adults Seeking Employment: The Generativity Factor:

This study is a theory-based examination of the meaning of work for older adults in a sample of 146 older job-seekers. It proposes four factors to the meaning of work: Financial, Personal, Social, and the Generativity factor. The Generativity factor, unique to older adults, refers to viewing work as a way to teach, train and share skills with younger generations. A factor analysis of a 16-item Meaning of Work Scale (MWS) supports the proposed four factors. The results indicate ethnic and employment differences with respect to the meaning of work, but no gender differences. Significant differences were detected between older adult job-seekers who obtained a job within a year of job search and those who did not, with respect to the personal factor of the MWS and with respect to ethnicity. The findings indicate that jobs providing opportunities for transfer of knowledge and experience to younger generations may be of particular value for older adults.
The receptance method applied to the free vibration of continuous rectangular plates

Abstract Vibrational characteristics of thin rectangular plates continuous over intermediate rigid simple supports and simply supported along two opposite edges with simply supported and/or clamped end conditions have been calculated by using the receptance method. Three different procedures have been illustrated, one of which is an exact solution. Numerical examples of four-equal-span and three-unequal-span plates have been presented and the accuracy of results reported in the literature has been attested.
C-Reactive Protein Induces Release of Both Endothelial Microparticles and Circulating Endothelial Cells In Vitro and In Vivo: Further Evidence of Endothelial Dysfunction

BACKGROUND: Inflammation is pivotal in atherosclerosis. A key early event in atherosclerosis is endothelial dysfunction. C-reactive protein (CRP), the prototypic marker of inflammation in humans, is a risk marker for cardiovascular disease, and there is mounting evidence to support its role in atherothrombosis. CRP has been shown to promote endothelial dysfunction both in vitro and in vivo. Emerging biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction include circulating endothelial cells (CECs) and endothelial microparticles (EMPs). However, there is a paucity of data examining the effect of CRP on CEC and EMP production in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: In this report, we treated human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) with increasing concentrations of CRP (0–50 μg/mL) or boiled CRP. We counted CECs and EMPs by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Although CRP treatment resulted in a significant increase in release of both CECs and EMPs, boiled CRP failed to have an effect. Pretreatment of HAECs with sepiapterin or diethylenetriamine NONOate, both of which preserve nitric oxide (NO), resulted in attenuation of CRP's effects on CECs and EMPs. CD32 and CD64 blocking antibodies but not CD16 antibody or lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor 1 small interfering RNA (LOX-1 siRNA) prevented CRP-induced production of CECs and EMPs. Furthermore, delivery of human CRP to Wistar rats compared with human serum albumin resulted in significantly increased CECs and EMPs, corroborating the in vitro findings. CONCLUSIONS: We provide novel data that CRP, via NO deficiency, promotes endothelial dysfunction by inducing release of CECs and EMPs, which are biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction.
An analysis of strategic alliances: forms, functions and framework

Defined broadly as any relationship between companies involving a sharing of common destinies, strategic alliances are cropping up across the global arena. Due to the maturation of several trends of the 1980s, such as: intensified foreign competition, shortened product life cycles, soaring cost of capital, including the cost of research and development, and ever‐growing demand for new technologies, alliances are becoming an attractive strategy for the future. Published material on the subject is vast, diverse and fragmented. Synthesizes this material and develops a common thread as to how these alliances are formed and the ingredients for their success or failure. Identifies six dimensions along which the alliances are formed and the change in management style needed for the success of alliances. Defines an interesting phenomenon termed the “Octopus Strategy” where multidivision companies from Japan, the United States and Europe are joining forces to create multiple strategic alliances. The end result of ...
Narrowing ISO certification gap in Africa

Recently, there has been increasing realisation that Africa's immense untapped resources could soon be exploited to benefit its citizens as well as the world community. Africa comprises 10% of the world's population, but its share in world trade is a minuscule 2.3%. At present, Africa is far behind other regions in the ISO certification race, and this so-called 'standards divide' is seen as one of the major contributing factors for the continent's poor performance in international trade. This paper identifies some of the barriers that impede African firms from obtaining ISO certification and proposes a set of strategies that can help narrow the current standardisation gap. In particular, the paper posits that a coordinated effort by industry and government leaders to boost ISO certification in Africa will help narrow the current gap and enable the continent to become a more active player in international trade.
Plasma corticosterone and testosterone levels during the annual reproductive cycle of male brown anoles (Anolis sagrei).

ABSTRACT The objective of the present study was to determine the plasma levels of testosterone and corticosterone in male Anolis sagrei during the annual reproductive cycle and to examine the relationships between seasonal change in the levels of these hormones, male reproductive activity, and body condition. Both testosterone and corticosterone levels in adult males captured in the Miami, Florida, area varied significantly with month and with season (i.e., breeding vs. nonbreeding period), although they were not significantly correlated with each other or with body mass. Mean monthly testosterone levels were higher during the breeding season (March–August) than during the non‐breeding season, with the one exception that the highest mean testosterone level occurred in February immediately before the beginning of the breeding season. Testosterone levels in the overall sample of 144 males were significantly correlated with testes mass but not with any of the other measured variables. Corticosterone levels w...