cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Querying Rural Content Experts Using an Online Questionnaire

Purpose: Obtaining feedback from rural content experts is critical in developing valid and reliable instruments to advance the science of rural health. However, traditional methods, i.e., focus groups are impractical due to location and distance. Using an online questionnaire combined with telephone and email contacts to obtain content experts’ feedback is discussed. Item statement analysis and efficiency and effectiveness of the process are presented. Methods: The process included the development of an online questionnaire, asking experts to rate 51 item statement for their relevancy, sufficiency of description, and clarity and readability. To increase the response rate, a series of four contacts (one telephone and three email) were planned and implemented. An item content validity index (I-CVI) was calculated for all items. Results: Distribution of the online questionnaire to rural content experts separated by geographic distance was efficient and effective in gathering feedback on item statements for content validity. Content experts completed the questionnaire in less than one hour suggesting the overall efficiency of the process; an 84% response rate supports process effectiveness. Following I-CVI evaluation, item statements were reduced from 51 to 24. The analysis resulted in retaining, with or without revision, 47% of the item statements. Conclusions: The online questionnaire and four-contact strategy were effective in gathering input from a representative sample of rural content experts separated by great distances; thereby, strengthening the content validity of the item statements. The process demonstrates new opportunities for using online technologies to reach rural content experts.
Stochastic Network Interdiction

We describe discrete stochastic network interdiction of shortest-path, and maximum-reliability-path, networks. A nested “max–min” model is reformulated using duality and, if necessary, an equivalent penalty-based model. The resulting mixed-integer program is then amenable to solution by standard solvers. Special-purpose decomposition algorithms, and accompanying valid inequalities, are also developed, which permit solution of larger scale problem instances. Throughout the article, we point to important models that arise when key assumptions in our formulations are modified. Keywords: stochastic integer program; max–min model; stackelberg game; benders' decomposition
Potential Reemergence of Seasonal Soil Moisture Anomalies in North America

AbstractSoil moisture anomalies within the root zone (roughly, soil depths down to ~0.4 m) typically persist only a few months. Consequently, land surface–related climate predictability research ha...
Efficacy of Two Entomopathogenic Fungi, Metarhizium brunneum, Strain F52 Alone and Combined with Paranosema locustae against the Migratory Grasshopper, Melanoplus sanguinipes, under Laboratory and Greenhouse Conditions.

Grasshopper outbreaks cause significant damage to crops and grasslands in US. Chemical control is widely used to suppress these pests but it reduces environmental quality. Biological control of insect pests is an alternative way to reduce the use of chemical insecticides. In this context, two entomopathogenic fungi, Metarhizium brunneum strain F52 and Paranosema locustae were evaluated as control agents for the pest migratory grasshopper Melanoplus sanguinipes under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Third-instar grasshoppers, reared in the laboratory, were exposed up to fourteen days to wheat bran treated with different concentrations of each of the fungi alone or the two pathogens combined. In the greenhouse, nymphs were placed individually in cages where they were able to increase their body temperatures by basking in the sun in an attempt to inhibit the fungal infection, and treated with each pathogen alone or in combination. Mortality was recorded daily and presence of fungal outgrowth in cadavers was confirmed by recording fungal mycosis for two weeks’ post-treatment (PT). For combination treatment, the nature of the pathogen interaction (synergistic, additive, or antagonistic effects) was also determined. In laboratory conditions, all treatments except P. locustae alone resulted in grasshopper mortality. The application of the pathogen combinations caused 75% and 77%, mortality for lower and higher concentrations, respectively than each of the pathogens alone. We infer a synergistic effect occurred between the two agents. In greenhouse conditions, the highest mortalities were recorded in combination fungal treatments with a M. brunneum dose (60% mortality) and with a combination of the two pathogens in which M. brunneum was applied at high rate (50%) two weeks after application. This latter combination also exhibited a synergistic effect. Exposure to the P. locustae treatment did not lead to mortality until day 14 PT. We infer that these pathogens are promising for developing a biopesticide formulation for rangeland pest grasshopper management.
Developmental and Neurological Features of Noonan Syndrome

Abstract The neurological aspects, including cognitive and behavioral functioning, of the clinical manifestations of individuals with Noonan syndrome (NS) are extremely variable and poorly understood. Results of different studies have yielded variable data, but showed that a large proportion of the patients with NS were affected in different areas of the nervous system: central nervous system malformations, cerebrovascular abnormalities, developmental delays, speech disorders, early motor milestones delay, hypotonia and hypermobility of joints, recurrent seizures, ocular problems, hearing loss and neuromuscular (peripheral neuropathy). Although most individuals with NS have normal intelligence, about one third have a mild intellectual disability, some have learning difficulties and psychological and behavioral problems, such as stubbornness, irritability, and poor self-esteem. This variability is likely related to the patient's specific genetic mutation.
Structural Characterization of Layered LixNi0.5Mn0.5O2 (0 < x ≤ 2) Oxide Electrodes for Li Batteries

X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy experiments were used to study chemical and electrochemical Li insertion and extraction reactions of LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2. These results, along with ga...
Establishment of Conditioned Reinforcement for Reading Content and Effects on Reading Achievement for Early-Elementary Students

Reading interest is suggested to be integral to reading achievement, which affects later academic performance. Using whole-interval measures of silent-reading time, we recorded 34 second-grade students’ durations of reading episodes as constituting their intrinsic reading interest, or reinforcement value of reading content. Assessment of relations between this measure of sustained attention to the content of the text and multiple measures of both reading comprehension and vocabulary yielded significant correlations. We simultaneously conducted a combined preintervention and postintervention design with multiple probe logic to test the effect of the establishment of conditioned reinforcement for reading content, via a collaborative shared reading intervention with a teacher, on reading comprehension and vocabulary. This procedure involved periods of reciprocal reading and related collaborative reading activities designed to increase students’ reinforcement value of reading. The establishment of conditioned reinforcement for reading content for 7 participants resulted in grade-level increases from 0.1 to 2.2 grades on various measures of reading achievement in fewer than nine sessions (315 min). The results of this study suggest that it is not enough to learn the structure of reading: rather, one must learn to “love to read” in order to derive meaning from text in his or her development of comprehension and vocabulary.
Approximate Optimal Motion Planning to Avoid Unknown Moving Avoidance Regions

In this article, an infinite-horizon optimal regulation problem is considered for a control-affine nonlinear autonomous agent subject to input constraints in the presence of dynamic avoidance regions. A local model-based approximate dynamic programming method is implemented to approximate the value function in a local neighborhood of the agent. By performing local approximations, prior knowledge of the locations of avoidance regions is not required. To alleviate the a priori knowledge of the number of avoidance regions in the operating domain, an extension is provided that modifies the value function approximation. The developed feedback-based motion planning strategy guarantees uniformly ultimately bounded convergence of the approximated control policy to the optimal policy while also ensuring the agent remains outside avoidance regions. Simulations are included to demonstrate the preliminary development for a kinematic unicycle and generic nonlinear system. Results from three experiments are also presented to illustrate the performance of the developed method, where a quadcopter achieves approximate optimal regulation while avoiding three mobile obstacles. To demonstrate the developed method, known avoidance regions are used in the first experiment, unknown avoidance regions are used in the second experiment, and an unknown time-varying obstacle directed by a remote pilot is included in the third experiment.
Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Facilities With Programs for Special Populations.

Introduction Special populations, including veterans, pregnant and postpartum women, and adolescents, benefit from opioid use disorder treatment tailored to their specific needs, but access to such services is poorly described. This study identifies the availability of opioid use disorder treatment facilities that use medications and have special programming and contextualizes facilities amid counties’ opioid-related overdose mortality. Methods Data were compiled on 15,945 U.S. treatment facilities using medications for opioid use disorder listed in the Behavioral Health Services Treatment Locator in 2018. Facilities with programs tailored to special populations (veterans, pregnant and postpartum women, and adolescents) were identified and geocoded. Counties with such facilities were characterized. Cold spots (county clusters with poor treatment availability) were identified using Getis–Ord Gi* statistics. Data were extracted in October 2018 and analyzed from October 2018 to May 2019. Results Of all 3,142 U.S. counties, 1,889 (60.1%) had opioid use disorder treatment facilities. Facilities with tailored programs for veterans, pregnant and postpartum women, and adolescents were located in 701 (22.3%), 918 (29.2%), and 1,062 (33.8%) of the counties, respectively. Specific medications provided for opioid use disorder varied, with only a minority of facilities offering methadone (among facilities with tailored programs for veterans, 6.0%; pregnant and postpartum women, 13.2%; adolescents, 1.3%). Many counties reporting opioid-related overdose deaths lacked programs for special populations (veterans, 72.6%; pregnant and postpartum women, 54.8%; adolescents, 30.6%). Cold spots were located throughout the Midwest, U.S. Southeast, and portions of Texas. Conclusions Facilities using medications for opioid use disorder with tailored programs for veterans, pregnant and postpartum women, and adolescents are limited. There is a need for improved access to evidence-based programs that address the unique treatment needs of special populations.
Highest Wireless Power: Inductively Coupled Or RF?

Embedded microsensors are the critical components for the Internet of Things (IoT) as they provide interfaces between the physical and the digital worlds. Unfortunately, these microsensors' tiny batteries cannot sustain their operation for long. Ambient energy sources, such as light or motion, are not always available, so transmitting power wirelessly is often the only option to recharge their onboard batteries. This paper discusses and compares two of the most popular wireless power transfer technologies: inductively coupled and RF, in terms of their highest output power over distance. As an example, a 125 kHz, coil-based inductively coupled power transfer system is compared with a 2.45 GHz, antenna-based RF power transfer system. When closely coupled, the inductively coupled receiver outputs higher power density with a normalized transmitter. As the distance grows, the power density of the inductively coupled receiver decays 3 times faster than the RF. So past 3.5 times of the transmitter's length, the RF's power density beats the inductively coupled.
Electronic spectroscopy of PAHs and PAH derivatives in supersonic jet

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAHs) molecules are attracting much attention in the astrophysical and astrochemical communities because of their ubiquitous presence in space due to their ability to survive in the harsh environmental conditions of the interstellar medium (ISM). The objective of this work is to provide gas phase, high-resolution spectroscopic data on the electronic and vibronic transitions of PAHs and their nitrogenated derivatives measured in astrophysically relevant conditions.
RHESSI Observations of a Simple Large X-Ray Flare on 2003 November 3

We present data analysis and interpretation of a simple X-class flare observed with RHESSI on 2003 November 3. In contrast to other X-class flares observed previously, this flare shows a very simple morphology with well-defined looptop (LT) and footpoint (FP) sources. The almost monotonic upward motion of the LT source and increase in separation of the two FP sources are consistent with magnetic reconnection models proposed for solar flares. In addition, we find that the source motions are relatively slower during the more active phases of hard X-ray emission; the emission centroid of the LT source shifts toward higher altitudes with the increase of energy; and the separation between the LT emission centroids at two different photon energies is anticorrelated with the FP flux. Nonuniformity of the reconnecting magnetic fields could be a possible explanation of these features.
Tocilizumab: A friend or a foe in COVID-19 management?

Background: The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus- 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to many proposed treatments for COVID-19 induced cytokine release syndrome (CRS) We aimed to investigate the treatment response of Tocilizumab (TZB), an Interleukin-6 (IL-6) inhibitor in this single center study Methods: A retrospective chart review in COVID-19 patients was conducted from 03/18/20 - 05/20/20 Patients with PCR confirmed COVID-19 who received TZB were included Variables included dose and timing of TZB, trend of acute phase reactants, time to improved oxygenation and defervescence, 30-day mortality, and hospital/ intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS) Descriptive statistics were used Results: Twelve patients received TZB at least once during the study period Median patient age was 51 5 years (interquartile range (IQR), 34-87), and mean body weight of 109 kg (SD = 33 8) At time of admission, mean day of illness was 6 6 days (SD = 3 3) into their illness All patients received a standardized TZB dose of 400 mg, and 2 patients received a second dose Nine out of 11 patients (75%) had elevated median IL-6 baseline levels of 38 3 (IQR < 5- 96 22) The average CRS score was elevated at 3 3 at the time of TZB administration All patients who received TZB were on supplemental oxygen, and 58% were mechanically ventilated A decrease in oxygen requirement in 24 hours was seen in mechanically ventilated patients (71%) compared to those not on mechanical ventilation (20%) Median ICU days were 17 5 (IQR, 3-39), and median LOS days were 21 5 (IQR 8-46) All patients had sustained decreases in CRP post-TZB administration Almost half of patients (42%) were treated for bacterial pneumonia post TZB and 3 (25%) patients were treated for herpes simplex virus (HSV) reactivation Majority (92%) of patients received additional COVID-19 therapies such as hydroxychloroquine, convalescent plasma, or remdesivir During the study period only one patient expired Conclusion: Our findings suggest that TZB may have a role in mechanically ventilated patients in decreasing oxygen requirement However larger randomized studies are needed to understand which patients would benefit the most Our study also highlights secondary infections and HSV reactivation in TZB patients (Table Presented)
Trends in the development of accessibility to civil rights protection

The purpose of the study is to analyze the legal regulations that cover the procedures for resolving disputes without judicial proceedings for their subsequent development and popularization. In the course of the study, in combination with a comprehensive and systematic analysis, the following general scientific cognition methods were used: dialectical, hermeneutic, synthesis, the method of ascending from the abstract to the concrete, the method of generalization and comparison. The results of the study are as follows: justice, being a necessary element of building the rule of law, should be supplemented and improved through alternative ways of resolving conflict situations. The latter shall develop civil jurisdiction and resolve disputes on a highly professional basis. It seemed that the creation of a single procedural form would be a guarantee of the effectiveness of the protection of rights, but in contrast to this idea, there was created a procedural code that regulates administrative jurisdiction. In this regard, it seems promising to develop alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, which are simpler models of protection of violated interests than the court. Therefore, the novelty of the study is in the justification of the need to identify patterns of improving access to legal protection through the use of alternative methods of dispute resolution.
Compact Plasmonic Enhanced MoTe2 Photodetector based on Engineering Gain-Bandwidth-Product Scaling Laws

Owing to the transition metal dichalcogenides strong light-matter interaction and distinctive materials properties. But low carrier mobilities limited the performance of the device. Here we demonstrate an efficient plasmonic slot photodetector based on integrating MoTe2 in silicon photonics. Narrowing the source-drain distance to tens of nm enables high gain-bandwidth-product detectors.
SPARSE: A Hybrid System to Detect Malcode-Bearing Documents

Embedding malcode within documents provides a convenient means of penetrating systems which may be unreachable by network-level service attacks. Such attacks can be very targeted and difficult to detect compared to the typical network worm threat due to the multitude of document-exchange vectors. Detecting malcode embedded in a document is difficult owing to the complexity of modern document formats that provide ample opportunity to embed code in a myriad of ways. We focus on Microsoft Word documents as malcode carriers as a case study in this paper. We introduce a hybrid system that integrates static and dynamic techniques to detect the presence and location of malware embedded in documents. The system is designed to automatically update its detection models to improve accuracy over time. The overall hybrid detection system with a learning feedback loop is demonstrated to achieve a 99.27% detection rate and 3.16% false positive rate on a corpus of 6228 Word documents.
Can You Hear Me Now?: Making Participatory Governance Work for the Poor

Participatory governance engages people who are affected by a problem in the process of solving it. A participatory-governance approach to inner-city crime, for example, might include local residents in the process of designing a community-policing program. In recent decades, courts, legislatures, administrative agencies, and other institutions all have used participatory-governance approaches to tackle complex problems of law and public policy. Some herald the potential for participatory-governance schemes to improve legal and policy outcomes, increase institutional accountability, empower marginalized groups, and further democratic ideals of self-determination and equality. Yet participatory-governance schemes can also promote the capture of public power by private interests, the evasion of accountability, and the deepening subordination of already marginalized communities. This is especially true when marginalized stakeholders are unable to meaningfully participate in the process.This article seeks to articulate a conceptual framework for better promoting meaningful participation by marginalized stakeholders. To do so, it draws a seemingly unlikely parallel between participatory governance systems and business transactions. Applying the framework to both court-based and non-court-based systems, it analyzes how various mechanisms might be used to promote meaningful participation by marginalized stakeholders. It concludes that where such participation cannot actively be promoted, the participatory approach should be rejected in favor of other problem-solving methods.
Anti-immunoglobulin-induced proliferation of B cells. Parallelism in the inhibition by chloroquine, monensin and immunoglobulin.

Abstract Proliferation of rabbit lymphocytes was induced with goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin. Chloroquine and monensin, known to inhibit internalization-related events, yielded inhibition of proliferation that paralleled the inhibition by a specific competitive ligand, rabbit immunoglobulin (IgG), whereas inhibition by puromycin did not. Moreover, virtually all of the cells that can be activated in freshly isolated populations adhered to anti-immunoglobulin-coated Petri plates, whereas all of the activatable population was recovered in the non-adherent fraction after a brief incubation of the cells with anti-immunoglobulin to induce internalization of surface membrane immunoglobulin. Using immunofluorescence it was further observed that monensin and Chloroquine inhibit the reappearance of surface immunoglobulins on the cell surface to some extent subsequent to their removal induced by anti-immunoglobulin.
Mutations in the Long Control Region of Human Papillomavirus DNA in Oral Cancer Cells, and Their Functional Consequences

Oral cancers frequently contain DNA of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 or 18, but the functional significance of this is unclear. A role for HPV in the progression of oral cancer would be more plausible if the viral transforming genes were likely to be overexpressed in oral cancer cells. We therefore isolated and sequenced the long control region (LCR) of HPV-16 or HPV-18 from three oral cancer cell lines and two lines of HPV-16-immortalized oral keratinocytes, using PCR. The functional activity of each LCR was measured by cloning it into a luciferase expression vector, followed by transfection into both normal oral keratinocytes and oral cancer cells. For comparison, the LCRs of the wild-type HPV-16 and HPV-18 were studied. Several mutations were found in the LCRs isolated from oral cancer cells and HPV-immortalized oral epithelial cells. The promoter activity of the mutated LCRs was significantly higher than that of the equivalent wild-type LCRs in oral cancer cells that contained the same HPV type. These results imply that mutations in the LCR of HPVs in oral cancer could lead to increased expression of HPV-transforming proteins, which might contribute to the carcinogenic process.
Ancient heat shock gene is dispensable.

Hsp83 is a major eucaryotic heat shock protein and one of the most conserved proteins known. We have isolated an Escherichia coli gene homologous to eucaryotic Hsp83 and used it to construct a deletion mutation. The E. coli mutant was viable but had a slight growth disadvantage that increased with temperature. Images
The Interpretation Of Hydrogen Ion Titration Curves Of Proteins

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews that titration curves do not represent just another way of physically characterizing a protein molecule. More than most other physicochemical methods that are in common use, titration studies tend to emphasize individual differences among proteins, and this is reflected in the chapter. The chapter contains experimental procedures of general utility in the determination of titration data. The foundation for any study of hydrogen ion dissociation in proteins is the electrometric titration curve. To obtain such a curve, one begins with a protein solution of known concentration, at an arbitrary reference pH, adds to it varying amounts of a strong acid or a strong base, and then measures the new pH attained. In a separate experiment, or by means of calculations based on similar experiments, one determines how much acid or base is needed to take a solution, which does not contain protein, but otherwise has the same initial pH, ionic strength, and volume. The difference between the two amounts is the amount of acid or base that is bound to the protein in going from the reference pH to the final pH: a plot of this quantity versus the final pH is the desired titration curve. In plotting this curve, OH - ions bound are counted as H + ions dissociated a procedure, which is always permissible in aqueous solutions.
Variable Patterns of Continuous Morphine Infusions at End of Life.

Abstract Background: Continuous morphine infusions (CMIs) treat pain and dyspnea at the end of life (EOL). CMIs may be initiated at an empiric rate and/or are rapidly escalated without proper titration. Objective: The study objective was to evaluate CMI patterns at the EOL. Methods: This single-center, retrospective chart review evaluated adult patients who died while receiving CMI at EOL. Patient demographics and opioid dosing information were extracted from an electronic medical record. Twenty-four hour IV morphine equivalent was calculated prior to CMI initiation and at the time of death. Results: Of the 190 patient charts, 63.2% (n=120) received no bolus doses prior to CMI initiation. Mean 24-hour IV morphine equivalent prior to CMI initiation was 49.3 mg (range: 0–1200 mg, SD 384.9) and at time of death was 267.1 mg (12.0–5193.2 mg, SD 442.2), representing an increase of +442%. Mean CMI starting rate was 3.3 mg/hour (0.4–30.0 mg/hour, SD 3.6) with titration at time of death to a mean of 7.7 mg/hour (...
Creative use of Ada in the A-10 control and display unit software

The Global Positioning System (GPS), the improved data modem (IDM), a data transfer system (DTS), and a new control and display unit (CDU) are being added to the avionics suite of the A-10 aircraft. The CDU software has been written in Ada. The CDU software design embodies many features and extensions of Ada real-time inter-task control and communication mechanisms. The design is object-oriented and makes extensive use of generic packages.
Haloaldehyde polymers, 15. Stabilization of polychloral by posttreatment†

Polychloral prepared by anionic polymerization has primarily alkoxide endgroups as the living terminal ends. The initial endgroups depend on the type of nucleophile used for the initiation. Alkoxide-terminated polychloral degrades to monomer on heating to slightly above 100°C or on extraction with methanol or acetone. Programmed DTG shows a degradation rate maximum (MDT) near 150°C. Terminations of the polymer endgroups were observed when the polymer was allowed to stand for long periods of time before workup. The type and amount of stabilization depends on the cation and residual monomer. With HCI the alkoxide ends can be protonated to give hydroxyl terminated polychloral, which is stable to extraction and has an MDT of 220°C. Acylation or alkylation as posttreatments could not be shown to produce the expected acyl- or alkyl endcapped polychloral, but posttreatment with acetyl chloride produced partially stable polymer (one MDT higher than 300°C) without detectable acetyl endgroups. The most effective posttreatment is with PCl5/CCl4 which gives highly stabilized polychloral with an MDT near 350°C. The treatment was only effective in thin sections of polymer and appeared to have introduced a chlorine endgroup.
AJR teaching file: Asymptomatic man with giant negative T waves on ECG.

Received July 31, 2008; accepted without revision August 12, 2008. 1Department of Radiology, Division of Cardiothoracic Radiology, East Ann Arbor Health and Geriatrics Center, University of Michigan, 4260 Plymouth Rd., Rm. 1847 SPC 2713, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2713. Address correspondence to A. Attili (aattili@umich.edu). 2Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI. AJR 2009;192:S57–S61 0361–803X/09/1923–S57 © American Roentgen Ray Society Case History A 40-year-old asymptomatic man presents for a routine health maintenance examination. The physical examination is normal; in particular, he is normotensive. ECG reveals diffuse deep T wave inversion. His family history is significant for unexplained sudden cardiac death in his father. MRI was performed to further evaluate an abnormality revealed on echocardiography.
Optical methods for the optimization of system SWaP-C using aspheric components and advanced optical polymers

We describe the benefits to camera system SWaP-C associated with the use of aspheric molded glasses and optical polymers in the design and manufacture of optical components and elements. Both camera objectives and display eyepieces, typical for night vision man-portable EO/IR systems, are explored. We discuss optical trade-offs, system performance, and cost reductions associated with this approach in both visible and non-visible wavebands, specifically NIR and LWIR. Example optical models are presented, studied, and traded using this approach.
Tooling design accomodating springback errors

Abstract Tooling design and development for sheet metal forming is an expensive process in terms of both time and current manufacturing cost. In the present work it is shown that Finite Element Analysis can be used in tooling design procedures by accurately predicting and accomodating for errors due to springback in sheet metal forming operations. To design the appropriate tooling, traction distributions on the sheet in the fully loaded deformed state are computed using the Finite Element Method. The calculated tractions are then used to elastically load the desired part shape. The deformed shape is then taken to be the die shape as it now contains the springback error. The traction-based design algorithm is examined for materials covering a range of steel strength and hardening and is found to produce parts with negligible error. The success of the method indicates that it can replace the current hardware steps of trial and error tooling design procedures, thereby greatly reducing the cost of tooling development and the experience required for such development.
DNA strand selection during the transcription of the adenovirus 2 genome in infected and transformed cells

Abstract Strand selection during the transcription of the genome of human adenovirus 2 was studied by DNA · RNA hybridization. The complementary DNA strands of the viral genome were separated as complexes with poly(U,G) by preparative equilibrium centrifugation in cesium chloride density gradients. Heavy (H) and light (L) strands were defined by the relative buoyant density of the DNA strand-poly(U,G) complex. Transcripts from both H and L strands were detected both early and late after productive infection of human KB cells. Early after productive infection, about one half of RNA sequences were transcribed from the L strand, while late after infection 75–85 % of RNA sequences were derived from the L strand. Even in the virus-free transformed cell, both strands were transcribed.
In-situ doping of silicon using the gas immersion laser doping (GILD) process

Abstract In this work we use built in diagnostic capabilities to demonstrate gas immersion laser doping (GILD) as an in-situ doping technique. A HeNe laser reflectivity apparatus measures the silicon melt time during doping, and our melt depth/diffusion simulation program, LASERMELT, is used to predict the silicon melt depth versus melt time. By combining these tools along with previously measured SIMS and RBS profiles, we obtain an accurate in-situ method of determining junction depths. LASERMELT also calculates the sheet resistance and the dopant profiles themselves. The ability to successfully determine these parameters in-situ, as well as fabricate ultra shallow junctions in a ‘low temperature’ environment makes laser doping suitable for future ULSI processes.
CMR of amyloidosis: looking between the sheets.

Making the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis short of myocardial biopsy is an important goal of noninvasive imaging. Before the early 1990s, a “speckled” pattern on echocardiography in a patient with left ventricular hypertrophy signified a potential diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis. Tissue
Schauder decomposition and its application to integral equations of the second kind

Abstract The rates of convergence of Schauder decompositions in L p and W p ( n ) are established. An application of Schauder decompositions to numerical solutions for integral of the second kind is made.
Finding someone in my social directory whom i do not fully remember or barely know

REACH is an intelligent, people-finding system that helps users to find someone in their social directory, especially those whom they do not fully remember or barely know. It analyzes a user's communication and social networking data to automatically extract all the contacts and derive multiple facets to characterize each contact in relation to the user. It then employs a personalized, faceted search to retrieve and present a ranked list of matched contacts based on their properties. A preliminary evaluation shows the effectiveness of our approach.
An in Vitro Selection System for TNA

(3‘-2‘)-α-l-Threose nucleic acid (TNA) is an unnatural polymer that possesses the rare ability to base-pair with RNA, DNA, and itself. This feature, coupled with its chemical simplicity, makes TNA of interest as a possible progenitor of RNA during the early history of life. To evaluate the functional potential of TNA, we have developed a system for the in vitro selection of TNA. We identified the Therminator DNA polymerase as a remarkably efficient DNA-dependent TNA polymerase capable of polymerizing more than 50 tNTPs. We have also developed a method of covalently linking a DNA template to the TNA strand that it encodes, thus obviating the need for a TNA-dependent DNA polymerase during cycles of selection.
Aligning teaching practices with an understanding of quality teaching: a faculty development agenda.

Background: To guide the future faculty development practices in a better manner, it is important to determine how clinical teachers perceive their own skill development.Aim: The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which clinical teachers aligned their teaching practices, as measured with a self-rating instrument, with their understanding of what constitutes good clinical teaching.Method: A sample of 1523 residents and 737 faculty members completed the clinical teaching perception inventory (CTPI) online and ranked 28 single-word descriptors that characterized clinical teachers along a seven-point scale in two measures, “My Ideal Teacher” and “Myself as a Teacher.”Results: Faculty and residents showed strikingly similar discrepancies, in both their magnitudes and directions, between their ratings of “My Ideal Teacher” and those of “Myself as a Teacher.” Both residents and faculty found it most difficult to develop the stimulating, well-read, and innovative nature to meet their own standar...
Autoregressive spectral estimation in transitional pulsatile flow

An autoregressive spectral estimation technique is applied to describe the frequency content of velocity disturbances created by pulsatile flow through a constricted tube. The Reynolds number and frequency parameter are such that transitional phenomena, including vortex formation and coherent disturbances, as well as turbulence, are created during various phases of the pulsatile cycle. Although under some circumstances Fourier methods of spectral estimation suffer from poor frequency resolution and large variance under these unsteady flow conditions, the autoregressive technique is shown to be capable of identifying essential flow disturbance features with good resolution and considerably smaller statistical variation. This method should be particularly useful in analyzing energy spectra of flow disturbance variables under unsteady mean flow conditions or when a limited amount of data is available.
Risk indicators for the presence and extent of root caries among caries-active adults enrolled in the Xylitol for Adult Caries Trial (X-ACT).

Objective This paper uses baseline data from a randomized clinical trial to evaluate cross-sectional indicators of root caries in caries-active adults.
Relevance of computer science to linguistics and vice versa

The relationship and interpenetration of computer science and linguistics are discussed. The affinity between modern linguistics and computer science is traced back to their beginnings, and related developments in the two fields are outlined. It is concluded that an interdisciplinary, or closely related, program of study in the two fields would be highly beneficial to both disciplines.
Cooperative binding of DNA and CBFβ to the Runt domain of the CBFα studied via MD simulations

The Runt domain (RD) is the DNA-binding region of the Runx genes. A related protein, known as core binding factor beta (CBFbeta) also binds to the RD to enhance RD-DNA interaction by 6- to 10-fold. Here, we report results from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of RD alone, as a dimer in complexes with DNA and CBFbeta and in a ternary complex with DNA and CBFbeta. Consistent with the experimental findings, in the presence of CBFbeta the estimated free energy of binding of RD to the DNA is more favorable, which is shown to be due to more favorable intermolecular interactions and desolvation contributions. Also contributing to the enhanced binding are favorable intramolecular interactions between the 'wing' residues (RD residues 139-145) and the 'wing1' residues (RD residues 104-116). The simulation studies also indicate that the RD-CBFbeta binding is more favorable in the presence of DNA due to a more favorable RD-CBFbeta interaction energy. In addition, it is predicted that long-range interactions involving ionic residues contribute to binding cooperativity. Results from the MD calculations are used to interpret a variety of experimental mutagenesis data. A novel role for RD Glu116 to the RD-CBFbeta interaction is predicted.
The effects of olfactory deprivation and hormones on territorial marking in the male mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus)

Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) mark objects in their environment with a midventral sebaceous scent gland. In the male the response is androgen dependent. The first study shows that olfactory bulb aspiration almost completely eliminates marking behavior. The reduction is apparently independent of any hormone dysfunction, as indicated by weights of seminal vesicles, testes, and adrenals. Marking, however, can be at least partially reinstated with massive doses of testosterone propionate (640–1280 μg every 5 days), indicating a hormone compensation for a neurological defect and demonstrating that smell is not absolutely necessary for marking. The second study shows that 80 μg of estradiol benzoate but not 800 μg progesterone administered to males twice a week for 6 weeks significantly depresses marking frequency, causes atrophy of the testes and seminal vesicles, and stops spermatogenesis. It would appear that estrogen acts by antagonizing the secretion of gonadotropins. Animals were also assessed for preference or aversion of premarked pegs during this study, but no differential marking could be demonstrated. It is concluded that territorial marking is normally controlled by androgen and that the disruption of the response can occur either because of a lack of sensory input or an antagonism of the gonadotropic system.
Neonatal orbital proptosis

Neonatal orbital proptosis is rare. The author reviewed 12 cases of orbital proptosis in children less than 28 days of age. Cystic lesions accounted for 75% of cases. In four cases there was an orbital hemorrhage with liquefaction. Other causes of neonatal orbital proptosis include vascular tumors, dermoids, teratomas, congenital bony abnormalities, cephaloceles, and orbital melanocytic hamartomas.
Stress relaxation behavior of apple pomace and effect of temperature, pressing aid and compaction rate on juice yield

Abstract The expression of juice from biological materials depends on many factors, such as permeability, compressibility and rheological properties of the biological material, which are influenced by product temperature, addition of pressing aids and rate of compression. The expression of juice from apple pomace and the subsequent relaxation was studied in an expression cell (0·1016 m diameter, 0·254 m height) driven by an Instron universal testing machine under different constant displacement rates (2·117 × 10 −4 , 4·233 × 10 −4 and 8·467 × 10 −4 m/s), temperatures (8°C and 21°C) and pressing aid concentrations (with 1% and without rice hull). The behavior of apple pomace under relaxation was characterized using three-element generalized Maxwell models. The models predicted the relaxation data with maximum relative difference (MRD)≤5%. Coefficients of determination (r 2 ) between the models and the experimental data varied from 0·995 to 0·999. Apple temperature, pressing aid concentration and compression rates showed statistically significant effects on relaxation response. Juice yield increased with the addition of rice hull (up to 12%), and decreasing temperature (up to 8%), and decreasing ram speed (up to 10%). This study provides a basis for determining the properties of apple pomace and may facilitate the design and operation of juice presses.
Fiber Laser Sensors: From Prototype to Practical

The development of fiber laser-based optical sensors requires careful design of the laser, transducer, and sensor node. Using a fiber laser magnetometer as a case study, the challenges in producing a practical sensor are explored.
Isolation and partial purification of plasma membrane from porcine oocytes

Egg plasma membrane (EPM) was isolated in comparatively large amounts from porcine slaughterhouse ovaries. Ovaries were minced, and the oocyte containing fluid was filtered to retrieve zona pellucidae-intact oocytes. The oocytes were homogenized and filtered again to remove zona pellucidae. The egg filtrate was subjected to differential centrifugation to remove membrane bound organelles and the remaining plasma membrane containing material was pelleted by ultracentrifugation. Plasma membranes were further separated from cellular material by sucrose density gradient centrifugation and were collected from portions of the gradient that correspond to the densities of plasma membrane. The purity of isolated plasma membranes was assessed by membrane marker enzyme analysis and transmission electron microscopy. Activities of the plasma membrane marker enzymes 5' nucleotidase and alkaline phosphatase increased from nondetectable levels in the egg filtrate to relatively high levels in the plasma membrane preparation. Marker enzymes for mitochondrial and lysosomal membranes fell from detectable levels in the egg filtrate to levels that were at the lower limits of the assays to detect in the final preparation. Evidence provided by binding of biotin-labeled EPM to capacitated sperm suggests that the isolated EPM retains its biological activity. The procedure presented here represents a novel method of isolating porcine egg plasma membranes for further study involving sperm-egg interaction.
I Play Therefore I Am: Sid Meier's Civilization, Turn-Based Strategy Games and the Cogito

Sid Meier's Civilization allows players to build empires that span the earth and the ages. Complementing existing scholarship on ideologies, practices, and subject positions inculcated by the game,...
Comparative value of 2-dimensional echocardiography and radionuclide angiography for quantitating changes in left ventricular performance during exercise limited by angina pectoris

Abstract To compare left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) measurements made during exercise by 2-dimensional echocardiography (2-D echo) and gated equilibrium radionuclide angiography (RNA), 18 patients with angina pectoris were studied during graded upright bicycle ergometry. For RNA, the left anterior oblique view was used with the patient grasping the camera gantry during the 2-minute count acquisition required for EF calculation. For 2-D echo, biapical views were recorded with the patient's arms resting on a platform, and EF was calculated from volume measurements made using Simpson's rule. Exercise duration was similar for both studies, but EF at maximal exertion was higher by RNA than by 2-D echo (46 ± 15 % vs 35 ± 15 %, p
Simple way of calculating the cosmological relic density.

A simple procedure is presented which leads to a dramatic simplification in the calculation of the relic density of stable particles in the Universe.
The commons revisited: Thoughts on marine mammal management

Abstract This article explores the United States approach to marine mammal management. Questions are raised about the implications of current actions which are primarily protective. Impacts of such protection, both in terms of ecosystem considerations and the resulting social, economic, and international political consequences are examined. The key issue raised by the paper is whether mammals are managed to achieve a goal built around nonconsumptive values which may be primarily moral or ethical, or if they are managed for purposes of extractive conservation.
In vitro and in vivo inhibition of rat liver aldehyde dehydrogenase by s-methyl N, N-diethylthiolcarbamate sulfoxide, a new metabolite of disulfiram

In summary, these data provide the first evidence that DETC-MeSO is a natural metabolite of disulfiram, and a potent inhibitor of rat liver mitochondrial low Km ALDH both in vitro and in vivo. It is therefore proposed that, based upon evidence to date, DETC-MeSO appears to be the chemical species to which disulfiram must be bioactivated, and is the metabolite most likely responsible for disulfiram's inhibition of rat liver mitochondrial low Km ALDH in vivo. Characterization of the properties of DETC-MeSO as the metabolite responsible for disulfiram's action as an ALDH inhibitor is presently in the process of being completed.
ON CONSTRUCTION OF GENERALIZED GROUP DIVISIBLE DESIGNS WITH TWO GROUPS

Many simple and general methods of construction, using α-resolvable balanced incomplete block designs, for generalized group divisible designs with two groups (GGDD(2)) are given. The E-optimality of all constructed designs is also discussed.
FIBRILLAR STRUCTURES RESEMBLING LEIOMYOFIBRILS IN ENDOTHELIAL CELLS OF MAMMALIAN PULMONARY BLOOD VESSELS.

Endothelial cells of mammalian pulmonary arteries, arterioles and precapillaries (metarterioles) posses bundled filamentous structures which resemble leiomyofibrils.