cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quality Improvement Methodology to Optimize Safe Early Mobility in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Utilization of robust quality improvement methodology in conjunction with traditional interventions to enhance an Early Mobility program (EMP) in a tertiary pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Methods EMP was implemented in our PICU in May 2017. The percentage of appropriate physical and occupational therapist consults were determined. We also evaluated the activity levels received by the patient and the levels for which they qualified based on their medical condition. Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) was performed to identify potential complications related to the mobilization of critically ill children. We created 4 simulation scenarios based on FMEA prioritized results. Results After the implementation of EMP, appropriate physical and occupational therapist consults significantly increased (P < 0.0001). However, most patients still failed to receive the optimal level of activity recommended by protocol. This failure was partly due to concern for safety events during mobilization. FMEA identified vital sign changes [Risk Priority Number (RPN) 97.8], staff injury (RPN 64), and pain/anxiety (RPN 60.5) as potential safety events. We performed various in-situ simulation sessions based on these potential events. In post-simulation evaluations, 100% of participants agreed that the simulation experience would improve their performance in the actual clinical setting. Feedback from simulations led to the development of an EM patient safety checklist and clinical pathway. Conclusions We describe a novel technique of using FMEA to develop scenarios that simulate potential adverse events to optimize safe EM in PICU. An EM checklist and pathway can guide in the implementation of safe EMP.
Multiblock Discriminant Analysis of Integrative 18F-FDG-PET/CT Radiomics for Predicting Circulating Tumor Cells in Early-Stage Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy.

Purpose The main objective of the present study was to integrate 18F-FDG-PET/CT radiomics with multiblock discriminant analysis for predicting circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (ES-NSCLC) treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Methods Fifty-six patients with stage I NSCLC treated with SBRT underwent 18F-FDG-PET/CT imaging pre-SBRT and post-SBRT (median, 5 months; range, 3-10 months). CTCs were assessed via a telomerase-based assay before and within 3 months after SBRT and dichotomized at 5 and 1.3 CTCs/mL. Pre-SBRT, post-SBRT, and delta PET/CT radiomics features (n = 1548 × 3/1562 × 3) were extracted from gross tumor volume. Seven feature blocks were constructed including clinical parameters (n = 12). Multiblock data integration was performed using block sparse partial least squares-discriminant analysis (sPLS-DA) referred to as Data Integration Analysis for Biomarker Discovery Using Latent Components (DIABLO) for identifying key signatures by maximizing common information between different feature blocks while discriminating CTC levels. Optimal input blocks were identified using a pairwise combination method. DIABLO performance for predicting pre-SBRT and post-SBRT CTCs was evaluated using combined AUC (area under the curve, averaged across different blocks) analysis with 20 × 5–fold cross-validation (CV) and compared with that of concatenation-based sPLS-DA that consisted of combining all features into 1 block. CV prediction scores between 1 class versus the other were compared using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results For predicting pre-SBRT CTCs, DIABLO achieved the best performance with combined pre-SBRT PET radiomics and clinical feature blocks, showing CV AUC of 0.875 (P = .009). For predicting post-SBRT CTCs, DIABLO achieved the best performance with combined post-SBRT CT and delta CT radiomics feature blocks, showing CV AUCs of 0.883 (P = .001). In contrast, all single-block sPLS-DA models could not attain CV AUCs higher than 0.7. Conclusions Multiblock integration with discriminant analysis of 18F-FDG-PET/CT radiomics has the potential for predicting pre-SBRT and post-SBRT CTCs. Radiomics and CTC analysis may complement and together help guide the subsequent management of patients with ES-NSCLC.
Designing an Indoor Air Quality Monitoring App for Asthma Management in Children: User-Centered Design Approach.

Background: Indoor air pollution is a well-known risk factor that triggers and exacerbates asthma, the most common pediatric chronic disease. Using a mobile app to monitor indoor air quality could be promising in engaging children in keeping their indoor air quality clean and healthy as secondary environmental prevention for asthma management. However, no app is available to allow children to monitor, assess, and improve their indoor air quality. Objective: This study aims to design a mobile app that encourages children to monitor indoor air quality and track their asthma conditions through a user-centered, iterative design approach. Methods: We reviewed existing apps for indoor air quality monitoring or asthma management for children and conducted two sets of semistructured interviews with 12 children with asthma. We then iteratively created prototypes and evaluated and revised them. Results: Participants raised a series of outstanding questions on the prototype features and content that described their needs and perspectives, which informed the final designs. Following the identified requirements and recommendations, we developed two versions of the app: AirBuddy for presenting concrete information for indoor air quality and AirPet for gamifying the practice of monitoring indoor air quality. Conclusions: By following an iterative, user-centered design process, we developed two versions of an app to encourage children with asthma to monitor indoor air quality and track their asthma condition. The user-centered design approach revealed two crucial aspects that require deeper consideration when creating a child-friendly app, including balancing brevity and expressivity and considering the longitudinal effects of gamification. As a next step, we plan to conduct a longitudinal deployment study to evaluate the real-world effects of our apps.
P58 Online Test-Retest Reliability of the COAST Malnutrition Screening Tool

Background In face-to-face testing, the Comprehensive Older Adult Screening Tool (COAST) demonstrated internal consistency reliability and validity as a screening tool for malnutrition risk in community-dwelling older adults and its ease of use suggests it is a practical tool. However, the test-retest reliability of COAST has not been established. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the test-retest reliability of the COAST malnutrition screening tool in an online setting. Study Design, Settings, Participants Older adults (>60 years) were recruited through https://www.researchmatch.org . Interested volunteers were emailed a Qualtrics link to the consent description and the 7-item COAST, which examines weight loss, decreased appetite, illness affecting food intake, diet quality, and intake of protein foods, at 2 timepoints, 2 weeks apart. The COAST was scored from 0 to 8 points, with 0-4 points denoting a high risk of malnutrition, 5-6 points indicating a moderate risk of malnutrition, and 7-8, a low risk of malnutrition. Measurable Outcomes/Analysis The primary outcome was the correlation of COAST scores at 2 timepoints. Results Of the 947 sent the study description, 111 older adults agreed to be contacted by email. Of these, 49 completed the COAST at 2 timepoints. The COAST test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.74, considered acceptable reliability for a malnutrition screening tool; 75% of participants were similarly categorized as high risk, moderate risk, or low risk of malnutrition at both timepoints. Inconsistent responses to the COAST question, “In general, how healthy is your overall diet?” explained 50% of the misclassifications suggesting a need to clarify this item. Conclusion The COAST malnutrition screening tool demonstrated acceptable test-retest reliability when used in an online format. As the tool was previously validated for face-to-face administration, future research to determine the test-retest reliability using face-to-face administration may be warranted.
ПРИМЕНЕНИЕ ТЕХНОЛОГИИ КОРОТКО-ЦИКЛОВОЙ АДСОРБЦИИ ДЛЯ ПОЛУЧЕНИЯ АЗОТА И КИСЛОРОДА ИЗ ВОЗДУХА

In article the information on various systems firm "LINDE" alternative to cryogenic air separations presents the pressure swing adsorption technology for production of pure nitrogen and technical oxygen from air.
Traffic models for community-based ranking and navigation

We investigate multinomial mixture traffic models for community based ranking and navigation. A “highway” model of source-destination traffic is formulated which aggregates the traffic through an underlying network of highways, onramps and offramps. The model extracts community structure from source-destination traffic information, but in addition captures the aggregate “highway” traffic between the communities. This important distinction extends the highway traffic analysis beyond clustering. The analysis discovers communities, rankings of the communities, rankings of destinations within each community, and transition probabilities between the communities. The model can be used for community-based collaborative filtering when applied to similarity graphs for music or movies.
Orientations toward work and leisure as predictors of sports involvement.

Abstract Several researchers have analyzed the relationship between job context variables and leisure behavior in terms of a “compensatory versus spillover” framework. These studies basically attempt to specify the conditions under which leisure activities represent either a compensation for deprivations experienced in the work context or as a spillover of a mind set and behaviors assimiliated on the job. It is clear that the process by which the job context affects leisure attitudes and behavior needs further explication. The objective of the present paper is to analyze work and leisure orientations as they relate to several dimensions of involvement in sports. The independent variable of job context involves not only the skill level, but also includes global job satisfaction, self-actualization aspects of the job, and a measure of the extent to which work serves as an anchor for self-identity. The data were collected from a random adult sample of residents in a Midwestern metropolitan area. The sample c...
Design of Enterprise Systems: Theory, Architecture, and Methods

In practice, many different people with backgrounds in many different disciplines contribute to the design of an enterprise. Anyone who makes decisions to change the current enterprise to achieve some preferred structure is considered a designer. What is problematic is how to use the knowledge of separate aspects of the enterprise to achieve a globally optimized enterprise. The synthesis of knowledge from many disciplines to design an enterprise defines the field of enterprise engineering. Because enterprise systems are exceedingly complex, encompassing many independent domains of study, students must first be taught how to think about enterprise systems. Specifically written for advanced and intermediate courses and modules, Design of Enterprise Systems: Theory, Architecture, and Methods takes a system-theoretical perspective of the enterprise. It describes a systematic approach, called the enterprise design method, to design the enterprise. The design method demonstrates the principles, models, methods, and tools needed to design enterprise systems. The author uses the enterprise system design methodology to organize the chapters to mimic the completion of an actual project. Thus, the book details the enterprise engineering process from initial conceptualization of an enterprise to its final design. Pedagogical tools available from the authors website include: For instructors: PowerPoint slides for each chapter Project case studies that can be assigned as long-term projects to accompany the text Quiz questions for each chapter Business Process Analyzer software available for download For students: Templates, checklists, forms, and models to support enterprise engineering activities The book fills a need for greater design content in engineering curricula by describing how to design enterprise systems. Inclusion of design is also critical for business students, since they must realize the import their decisions may have on the long-term design of the enterprises they work with. The books practical focus and project-based approach coupled with the pedagogical tools featured on the authors website gives students the knowledge and skills they need to lead enterprise engineering projects.
A dual‐tracer study of extrastriatal 6‐[18F]fluoro‐m‐tyrosine and 6‐[18F]‐fluoro‐l‐dopa Uptake in Parkinson's disease

6-[(18)F]-Fluoro-L-dopa (FDOPA) has been widely used as a biomarker for catecholamine synthesis, storage, and metabolism--its intense uptake in the striatum, and fainter uptake in other brain regions, is correlated with the symptoms and pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). 6-[(18)F]fluoro-m-tyrosine (FMT), which also targets L-amino acid decarboxylase, has potential advantages over FDOPA as a radiotracer because it does not form catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) metabolites. The purpose of the present study was to compare the regional distribution of these radiotracers in the brains of PD patients. Fifteen Parkinson's patients were studied with FMT and FDOPA positron emission tomography (PET) as well as high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI's were automatically parcellated into neuroanatomical regions of interest (ROIs) in Freesurfer (http://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu); region-specific uptake rate constants (Kocc) were generated from coregistered PET using a Patlak graphical approach. The essential findings were as follows: (1) regional Kocc were highly correlated between the radiotracers and in agreement with a previous FDOPA studies that used different ROI selection techniques; (2) FMT Kocc were higher in extrastriatal regions of relatively large uptake such as amygdala, pallidum, brainstem, hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, and thalamus, whereas cortical Kocc were similar between radiotracers; (3) while subcortical uptake of both radiotracers was related to disease duration and severity, cortical uptake was not. These results suggest that FMT may have advantages for examining pathologic changes within allocortical loop structures, which may contribute to cognitive and emotional symptoms of PD.
Relationships between job organisational factors, biomechanical and psychosocial exposures

The relationships between work organisational, biomechanical and psychosocial factors were studied using cross-sectional data from a pooled dataset of 1834 participants. The work organisational factors included: job rotation, overtime work, having second jobs and work pace. Task and job level biomechanical variables were obtained through sub-task data collected in the field or analysed in the laboratory. Psychosocial variables were collected based on responses to 10 questions. The results showed that job rotations had significant effects on all biomechanical and most psychosocial measures. Those with job rotations generally had higher job biomechanical stressors, and lower job satisfaction. Overtime work was associated with higher job biomechanical stressors, and possibly self-reported physical exhaustion. Those having second jobs reported getting along with co-workers well. Work pace had significant influences on all biomechanical stressors, but its impact on job biomechanical stressors and psychosocial ...
Tornado Codes: Practical Erasure Codes Based on Random Irregular Graphs

We introduce Tornado codes, a new class of erasure codes. These randomized codes have linear-time encoding and decoding algorithms. They can be used to transmit over lossy channels at rates extremely close to capacity. The encoding and decoding algorithms for Tornado codes are both simple and faster by orders of magnitude than the best software implementations of standard erasure codes. We expect Tornado codes will be extremely useful for applications such as reliable distribution of bulk data, including software distribution, video distribution, news and financials distribution, popular web site access, database replication, and military communications. Despite the simplicity of Tornado codes, their design and analysis are mathematically interesting. The design requires the careful choice of a random irregular bipartite graph, where the structure of the irregular graph is extremely important. We model the progress of the decoding algorithm by a simple AND-OR tree analysis which immediately gives rise to a polynomial in one variable with coefficients determined by the graph structure. Based on these polynomials, we design a graph structure that guarantees successful decoding with high probability.
MDR1/P-glycoprotein function. II. Effect of hypotonicity and inhibitors on Cl- efflux and volume regulation

Resistance to anti-tumor drugs can be mediated by overexpression of the multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) protein (P-glycoprotein). In three MDR1-transfected cell lines (Gill et al. Cell 71: 23-32, 1992; Altenberg et al. Cancer Res. 54: 618-622, 1994), a hypotonic stress-induced Cl- current has been demonstrated that can be inhibited by MDR1 substrates and Cl- channel blockers. We tested the hypothesis that MDR1 expression confers additional Cl- conductance by measuring regulatory volume decrease (RVD) in four pairs of isogenic cell lines and 36Cl efflux in two cell lines with and without hypotonic stress. The kinetics of RVD and response to Cl- channel blockers were indistinguishable in MDR and parental cells. Additionally, no significant difference was seen between 36Cl efflux rate constants under hypotonic conditions between NIH/3T3 and L1210 parental and MDR cells. We conclude that, in intact cells, the expression of MDR1 does not alter the rate of volume regulation or the rate 36Cl efflux under hypotonic conditions between parental and MDR cells.
SCUBA tank corrosion as a cause of death.

Compressed air for breathing purposes is used by firemen and by professional or sport divers. A sport diver, using self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA), is probably the most susceptible to potential dangers from impure air due to the lack of trained supervision or control and the great degree of individual freedom enjoyed by sport divers. It is likely that members of this group, often poorly trained and ignorant of the need for care of equipment, would be most susceptible to the dangers which result from compressed air gas cylinder corrosion.
Framework for enhancing fault diagnosis capabilities of artificial neural networks

Abstract Neural networks have demonstrated excellent performance in facilitating automatic fault detection and diagnosis in many engineering applications. Their primary advantage over model-based and knowledge-based expert systems is that they require very little development time or expertise. However, neural networks perform only as robustly as the data from which they are trained. Therefore, understanding the content and limitations of process data used to train the network is crucial. This paper presents neural networks as part of a fault recognition framework for diagnosing process inefficiencies. In this framework, incorporating a small amount of process knowledge helps minimize data limitations and maximize the neural network's performance. Data preprocessing and filtering lead to significant improvement in recognition performance and markedly reduced training time. In addition, the framework allows detection of the “unknown” class. The fault recognition framework will be demonstrated via a simulated continuous stirred tank reactor system which operates under realistic disturbances and noisy measurements.
Phenotypic and Genetic Characterization of Clinical Isolates of CDC Coryneform Group A-3: Proposal of a New Species of Cellulomonas, Cellulomonas denverensis sp. nov.

CDC coryneform group A-3 bacteria are rare human pathogens. In this study, six group A-3 isolates (two from blood, one from cerebrospinal fluid, and one each from homograft valve, lip wound, and pilonidal cyst) were compared to the type strains of phenotypically related organisms, Cellulomonas fimi, Cellulomonas hominis, Oerskovia turbata, and Sanguibacter suarezii, and characterized by phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and genotypic studies. DNA-DNA reassociation analysis identified two genomic groups, and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence identified the taxonomic positions of these groups to genus level. Two groups were defined, and both were more closely related to Cellulomonas species: one group of three strains, for which we propose the new species Cellulomonas denverensis sp. nov., with the type strain W6929 (ATCC BAA-788T or DSM 15764T), was related to C. hominis ATCC 51964T (98.5% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), and the second group of three strains was related to C. hominis ATCC 51964T (99.8 to 99.9% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). The definition of this new Cellulomonas species and the confirmation of three strains as C. hominis serve to further clarify the complex taxonomy of CDC coryneform group A-3 bacteria and will assist in our understanding of the epidemiology and clinical significance of these microorganisms.
Implication of the impact picture on multiplicity, inclusive distribution, and production processes

Abstract We predict that both the average multiplicity and the inclusive distribution for pionization products increase like a positive power of s times a power of 1n s . Thus scaling is strongly violated. An experiment involving a fragmentation product is proposed.
Metabolism of tert-butylhydroquinone to S-substituted conjugates in the male Fischer 344 rat.

tert-Butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA) and its demethylated analog, tert- butyl-hydroquinone (TBHQ), are antioxidants used in food. Both BHA and TBHQ have been shown to promote kidney and bladder carcinogenesis in the rat. We have previously demonstrated that glutathione (GSH) conjugates of a variety of hydroquinones are nephrotoxic and proposed that GSH conjugation serves to target these compounds to the kidney. In the present study, we examined the metabolism of TBHQ, focusing on the formation of potentially nephrotoxic sulfur-containing metabolites. 2-tert-Butyl-5-glutathion-S-ylhydroquinone, 2- tert-butyl-6-glutathion-S-ylhydroquinone, and 2-tert-butyl-3,6-bisglutathion- S-ylhydroquinone were identified as biliary metabolites of TBHQ (1.0 mmol/kg, ip) in male F344 rats, accounting for 2.2% of the dose. Liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopic analysis of urine also revealed the presence of additional sulfur-containing metabolites, tentatively identified as 2,5-dihydroxy-3-tert-butylthiophenol, 2,5-dihydroxy-4-tert- butylthiophenol, and their S-methyl derivatives. No mercapturic acids of TBHQ were found in the urine. The major biliary and urinary metabolites were TBHQ- glucuronide and TBHQ-sulfate, with a trace of TBHQ excreted unchanged. The results indicate that TBHQ undergoes oxidation and GSH conjugation in vivo in the male F344 rat. These conjugates are excreted into bile and undergo further metabolism prior to excretion in urine. Formation of the S-containing metabolites of TBHQ may occur in amounts sufficient to play a role in the toxicity of TBHQ to kidney and bladder. Chemicals/CAS: 2-tert-butylhydroquinone, 1948-33-0; Antioxidants; Butylated Hydroxyanisole, 25013-16-5; Glutathione, 70-18-8; Hydroquinones; Sulfides
Comparison of biomechanical properties of periosteal suture fixation and bone anchor fixation to the pubic bone.

Objectives. To compare the relative strength of fixation using bone anchors (BAs) compared with direct suture placement into the periosteum. Methods. The anterior bony pelvis was harvested from 21 female cadavers. In each pelvis, BA suture fixation was performed using Cinch anchors on one side of the pubic bone and direct periosteal suture fixation (PSF) on the contralateral side of the same pelvis. We used No. 1 polyproprolene suture for all cases. Using a hydraulic mechanical testing machine, all specimens were loaded in uniaxial tension until failure. Results. Failure modes for BA-fixed pelves were as follows: 11 BA pull-out, 1 midsuture failure, and 9 suture cut by BA. Failure modes for the PSF pelves were as follows: 6 suture pull-outs through the bone, 14 midsuture failures, and 1 suture cut at the bone. PSF pelves required significantly higher loads to induce failure compared with BA pelves (PSF 92.63 ± 22.62 N, BA 71.32 ± 19.76 N, P <0.0002). In many cases, both PSF and BA were adequate points of fixation, and the major mechanism of failure was suture rupture. In pelves with suture failure, the load to induce failure was significantly higher in the PSF group (PSF 105.06 ± 12.55 N, BA 86.06 ± 7.78 N, P <0.0025). When the suture failed, PSF was better because BA fixation actually broke some sutures. The load required to induce failure was higher in the PSF groups in 19 (90.5%) of 21 pelves. Conclusions. Biomechanical testing using permanent monofilament suture did not demonstrate a superiority of BA suture fixation to PSF fixation. PSF appears superior, since BAs induced suture failure in many cases.
Peer group delinquency and sexual victimization: does popularity matter?

Though a large body of research has found that peer social network characteristics influence both offending and victimization, relatively little is known about the influence of social network characteristics on adolescent sexual victimization. Attractiveness and sociability largely indicate popularity for teenage females, which in turn leads to earlier onset of dating, greater dating options, and potential risk of sexual victimization—an observation not tested in the criminological and criminal justice literature. We suggest and evaluate 2 competing hypotheses: that popularity within a network insulates females from sexual victimization and that popularity may increase exposure to delinquent others and facilitate sexual victimization. Results suggest that popularity does not have a consistent effect but instead that its role is conditioned by the deviance of the network. Popularity is associated with an increase in the likelihood of victimization when peer deviance is high but with a decrease when peer de...
Searching for Information on-Line and off-Line: Gender Differences among Middle School Students:

There has been a national call for increased use of computers and technology in schools. Currently, however, little is known about how students use and learn from these new technologies. This study examines how students search for, browse, and learn specific information when performing an on-line (Web) versus an off-line (Library) search. Twenty-eight eighth grade students between the ages of 13 and 14 were randomly assigned to one of the two search conditions (Web or Library), each balanced by gender. All participants significantly improved their knowledge of the target question (“How do mosquitoes find their prey?”) from pre-test to post-test. The Web was superior to the Library in supporting students search for target-specific information. There was an interaction in which boys in the Web condition learned more target-specific and target-related information than the girls. Several related findings are explored which may help explain this result.
DO PHYLOGENETIC METHODS PRODUCE TREES WITH BIASED SHAPES

We examine whether phylogenetic methods provide biased estimates of tree shape with respect to the random branching model. We investigate the performance of five commonly used phylogenetic methods using computer simulation: (1) maximum parsimony; (2) neighbor joining; (3) UPGMA with an outgroup taxon; (4) UPGMA without an outgroup taxon; and (5) maximum likelihood. All methods provide estimates of tree shape that are, on average, more asymmetrical than the true tree, especially when rates of evolution are high. We suggest a simple explanation for the bias and propose a modified test of tree shape that corrects for it.
Evaluation and management of patients with peripheral artery disease by interventional radiologists: current practices.

Purpose Traditionally, surgeons have served as primary consultants for patients with peripheral vascular disease for whom revascularization is considered. An important component of care for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) is risk factor management. The present study was undertaken to determine current management practices of interventional radiologists for patients with PAD and compare them to published data for vascular surgeons. If PAD patient management practices are similar, this would support direct referral of PAD patients who are considered for revascularization from primary care doctors to interventional radiologists. Materials and Methods An online survey was administered to full members of the Society of Interventional Radiology with e-mail addresses on file. Filtering was done to examine and compare interactions among several responses. The margin of error for the survey was ±2%, based on 95% CIs for the entire surveyed population ( N = 2,371). Results Seventy-five percent of respondents see PAD patients in ambulatory office settings. Only eight percent see themselves as the physician responsible for risk factor management, similar to reported results of vascular surgeons (10%). Other variables examined, such as frequency of inquiring about Framingham risk factors, indicate similar practices to those previously reported for vascular surgeons. Conclusions For interventional radiologists who accept direct referrals for medical management of patients with PAD, disease management by interventional radiologists is similar to that previously reported for vascular surgeons. This supports the role of interventional radiologists who accept direct referrals of patients with PAD as primary consultants to primary care doctors.
Information systems, strategic flexibility and firm performance: An empirical investigation

Abstract This study investigated the bottom-line impacts of IS support for strategic flexibility. The performance effects of IS support for two key components of strategic flexibility (product flexibility and cross-functional coordination) and the moderating effects of unique, complementary knowledge and information were examined and tested with both survey and archival data. The results showed that IS support for product flexibility was positively related to sales growth and returns on sales. The study also found a stronger association between IS support for product flexibility and ROS, and a positive relationship between IS support for cross-functional coordination and sales growth, when IS were complemented by unique knowledge and information.
The electric gap-crossing resonance in a three-sector cyclotron

The theory of accelerated orbits in the median plane of a sector-focused cyclotron is developed using a Lagrangian formalism. The equation for the radial oscillations about the instantaneous equilibrium orbit is reduced, by suitable transformation, to that for a simple oscillator of frequency vr driven by perturbations arising from the electric gap-crossing mechanism. For a three-sector magnet and a “two-sector” dee-geometry, these perturbations have Fourier components in resonance with the radial oscillation frequency vr, which is always close to unity in a medium-energy machine. The effects of these perturbations are calculated and discussed. The results of computer studies of accelerated orbits in three-sector fields are presented which demonstrate the effects of the gap-crossing resonance under various conditions. These results are discussed with the aid of the theory. The data indicate that a first-harmonic correction field of 3 to 10 gauss can be used to counteract the gap-crossing resonance effects.
Serotonergic Influences on Brain Stem Thermoregulatory Mechanisms in the Cat

Summary To investigate the pharmacological and functional characteristics and anatomical locations of putative serotonergic synapses in the brain stem thermoregulatory pathways of the cat, 0.01-0.03 M 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was injected through chronically implanted guide cannulae into 160 cerebral loci in 15 cats. 5-HT injected at 115 sites caused no immediate change in colonic temperature. Injections into 19 sites within the rostral portion of the hypothalamus produced shivering and an immediate, short-lasting hyperthermia. Injections into 26 sites within the preoptic/basal forebrain region produced peripheral vasodilation and an immediate, short-lasting hypothermia. Both types of immediate effect were dose-dependent, susceptible to blockade by methysergide administered systemically or into the 5-HT injection site, and resistant to indomethacin pretreatment (10 mg/kg i.p.), and both were often followed by a long-lasting hyperthermia which could also be elicited by injections of control solutions. The delayed hyperthermia produced by 5-HT injections into rostral hypothalamic loci was strongly attenuated by indomethacin pretreatment, an indication that the effect was mediated by the release of pyrogenic prostaglandins. It can be concluded that the sole pharmacologically specific effects of the 5-HT injections were the short latency, transient hyperthermic and hypothermic episodes. These results suggest that serotonergic synapses in the rostral and caudal aspects of the classical ‘preoptic/anterior hypothalamic region’ mediate functionally opposing thermoregulatory effects, those in the rostral aspect being involved in heat dissipation and those in the caudal aspect, in heat gain. The implications of these findings with respect to existing neurochemical models of thermoregulation are discussed.
Pharmacological effects of carbaryl. II. Modification of serotonin metabolism in the rat brain.

Nachweis, dass Carbaryl die Konzentration von Serotonin und 5-Hydroxyindolessigsaure im Rattenhirn steigert. Der Zusammenhang mit einem Stress wird als moglich angenommen.
Measurements of the dosimetric constants for a new 103Pd brachytherapy source

Abstract Purpose: This report provides dosimetry information for a new brachytherapy 103Pd source (Model 2335) manufactured by Best Medical International and, through comparisons with data from another published report for the same source, presents a suggested hybrid dataset for clinical applications. Methods and Materials: Dose measurements were made using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD), with the 103Pd source in the center of a Virtual Water phantom on a rotating insert, allowing for a number of different possible angles, and 12 TLD cubes (1.0 × 1.0 × 1.0 mm) and 16 TLD rods (1.0 × 1.0 × 3.0 mm) arranged in an outward spiral pattern at distances ranging from 0.5 to 5.0 cm. All measurements are based on the 2000 correction of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 1999 standard. Results: From these measurements, tables are presented for the radial dose function and the anisotropy function. The dose rate constant = 0.71 ± 0.07 cGy h−1 U−1 and the anisotropy constant = 0.96 ± 0.03. Conclusions: The dose rate constant for the hybrid = 0.70 and the anisotropy constant for the hybrid = 0.92, Hybrid tables are presented.
Evaluation of the use of enzymes for functional restitution after spinal cord severance in the rat

Abstract In an attempt to duplicate the excellent recovery rates reported by Russian workers using various enzymes to promote spinal cord regeneration, 102 young female rats with appropriate controls were spinally transected at the T5 level; 32 were given hyaluronidase for 15 days followed by trypsin for 75 days; 35 received trypsin only for 15 days; and 35 were injected with Lidase for 15 days after surgery. Controls received vehicle only. All controls remained paraplegic, as did those treated with Lidase (except for weak placing reactions appearing at 5 months). Rats given trypsin only exhibited stronger placing reactions at 2 months, and slight postural improvement by 3 months; none ever improved beyond that point. The hyaluronidase-trypsin rats, however, showed strong placing reactions at 2 months and dramatic postural improvement by 3 months, weight being taken on knees and thighs. In 12 of these 31 rats, weight was taken on the hind legs accompanied by uncoordinated leg movements on one side or the other. This progress disappeared at 3.5 months, and the animals reverted to control condition. Repetition of this experiment with prolonged enzyme administration did not produce the same improvement.
Toward a Posthuman Perspective: Feminist Rhetorical Methodologies and Everyday Practices

This article considers the emergence of methodological patterns, or “sanctioned narratives,” within feminist rhetorical historiography, arguing that with just a few exceptions these patterns have anchored our work to conceptions of the woman-as-rhetor exercising deliberate, strategic agency against her world, rather than within it. While this conception has been enormously productive in redefining what “counts” in the history of rhetoric, it also constrains our attempts to pursue broader methodological projects that take as their subject the interworkings of rhetoric, power, and gender. After describing the ways that existing methodological patterns have become entrenched, this article offers one method for shifting our commitments, a feminist-materialist methodology. Influenced by theories of posthuman agency and by actor-network theory, this method can help feminist rhetoricians pursue broader conceptions of rhetoric that will allow us to intervene more effectively in the rhetorical production and trans...
Competition of cyclooctenes and cyclooctadienes for ethylene binding and activity in plants

trans-Cyclooctene, cis,trans-1,5-cyclooctadiene, and cis,trans-1,3-cyclooctadiene have been compared with the cis and cis,cis isomers and with 2,5-norbornadiene for competition with ethylene for binding in mung bean sprouts and tobacco and for action (induction of chlorophyll degradation) in banana. The compounds containing a trans double bond were much more effective in competition for binding and action than the cis and cis,cis compounds. trans-Cyclooctene and cis,trans-1,3-cyclooctadiene were in the general range of 50–90 times more effective than 2,5-norbornadiene.
GABA Depolarizes Neuronal Progenitors of the Postnatal Subventricular Zone Via GABAA Receptor Activation

Previous studies have reported the presence of migrating and dividing neuronal progenitors in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and rostral migratory stream (RMS) of the postnatal mammalian brain. Although the behaviour of these progenitors is thought to be influenced by local signals, the nature and mode of action of the local signals are largely unknown. One of the signalling molecules known to affect the behaviour of embryonic neurons is the neurotransmitter GABA. In order to determine whether GABA affects neuronal progenitors via the activation of specific receptors, we performed cell-attached, whole-cell and gramicidin perforated patch-clamp recordings of progenitors in postnatal mouse brain slices containing either the SVZ or the RMS. Recorded cells displayed a morphology typical of migrating neuronal progenitors had depolarized zero-current resting potentials, and lacked action potentials. A subset of progenitors contained GABA and stained positive for glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD-67) as shown by immunohistochemistry. In addition, every neuronal progenitor responded to GABA via picrotoxin-sensitive GABAA receptor (GABAAR) activation. GABAARs displayed an ATP-dependent rundown and a low sensitivity to Zn2+. GABA responses were sensitive to benzodiazepine agonists, an inverse agonist, as well as a barbiturate agonist. While GABA was hyperpolarizing at the zero-current resting potentials, it was depolarizing at the cell resting potentials estimated from the reversal potential of K+ currents through a cell-attached patch. Thus, our study demonstrates that neuronal progenitors of the SVZ/RMS contain GABA and are depolarized by GABA, which may constitute the basis for a paracrine signal among neuronal progenitors to dynamically regulate their proliferation and/or migration.
A differential equation model of search for randomly arriving and departing targets

In this paper we analyze optimal search strategies in an environment in which multiple, independent targets arrive and depart at random. The analysis revolves around a continuous time differential equation model which captures the time dependent nature of the search process. We explore the impact on optimal strategies of nonzero travel times between regions as well as differing target arrival rates. We derive simple closed form expressions for determining if only one region should be searched.
Pathologic features of endometrial carcinoma associated with HNPCC: a comparison with sporadic endometrial carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Endometrial carcinoma is a common malignancy in hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal carcinoma (HNPCC). Like colon carcinoma, endometrial carcinoma is diagnosed at an earlier age in women with HNPCC. In contrast to colon carcinoma, the pathologic features of endometrial carcinoma in HNPCC have not been studied in detail. It was the purpose of this study to pathologically characterize a series of HNPCC associated endometrial carcinomas. METHODS Fifty women with HNPCC and endometrial carcinoma were analyzed from four different hereditary cancer registries. H&E stained slides and pathology reports were reviewed for clinically important pathologic features of endometrial carcinoma. These results were compared with those for two different groups of sporadic endometrial carcinoma – women younger than age 50 years (n = 42) and women of all ages with tumors demonstrating microsatellite instability (MSI-high) secondary to methylation of MLH1 (n = 26). RESULTS Nearly one-fourth of HNPCC patients in this study had endometrial tumors with pathologic features that would require adjuvant therapy after hysterectomy. There was a trend toward the HNPCC patients having more nonendometrioid tumors; all of these patients were carriers of MSH2 mutations. Such nonendometrioid tumors were extremely rare in the MLH1 methylated group. A subset of MLH1 methylated sporadic tumors demonstrated a unique, ‘undifferentiated’ histology that was not observed in HNPCC or the young group. CONCLUSION Data suggest a genotype–phenotype relation in which microsatellite instability resulting from MLH1 methylation is almost exclusively associated with classical or ‘undifferentiated’ endometrioid tumors, whereas microsatellite instability secondary to MSH2 mutation can result in a more variable histologic spectrum of endometrial carcinoma. Cancer 2006. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
Optical Switching Using Stimulated Rayleigh Scattering

The use of stimulated light scattering as a means for achieving optical control functions directed toward an optical computer is described. Stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering is seen to be a preferred nonlinear optical mechanism when compared with the more familiar stimulated Raman and stimulated Brillouin scattering. It possesses the highest gain, the lowest threshold, and scattered radiation which is approximately the same frequency as the inducing radiation. Optical control functions such as optical bistable switching, optical amplification and optical limiting or clipping are described.
Sensitivity and Stability of an Air-Core Fiber Gyroscope

We report an air-core fiber-optic gyroscope with similar short-term noise as a conventional gyroscope (random walk of ~0.015 deg/√hr) and a dramatically reduced sensitivity to Kerr effect (>50), temperature transients (~6.5), and Faraday effect (>10).
To aggregate or not to aggregate? A new role for p62.

Cell signalling is carried out by selective and complex metabolic networks that, when impaired, result in disease. The challenge for the cell is to maintain fidelity during normal processes, while allowing the plasticity that is required to control the complicated machinery of a functional cell. This is achieved through protein hubs that organize the flow of information inside the cell; one such hub is the signalling adapter p62 (Moscat et al , 2006). The identification of p62‐interacting proteins, the analysis of knockout (KO) mice, and the fact that p62 mutations are associated with a human disease—Paget bone disease—have confirmed the importance of p62 in homeostatic cell function and disease (Moscat et al , 2007). p62 binds to atypical PKCs, the signalling adapter RIP, the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRAF6, the kinase ERK, and caspase 8 through different motifs (Jin et al , 2009; Moscat et al , 2006), thereby eliciting various effects that …
2'-MeO-RNA containing oligodeoxyribonucleotide primers can prevent template-independent base extension on microarrays.

DNA microarrays require tens of thousands of deoxyoligonucleotides to be registered in an addressable fashion through immobilization, so that they have the high-throughput capability of analyzing a large number of samples simultaneously in a minimal volume of each reagent. However, using immobilized DNA molecules on microarrays can impose certain technical problems for some assays. For example, high background noise has been observed in using immobilized oligonucleotide microarrays (DNA chip) for primer extension reactions. This noise may be associated with the reactions of secondary structures formed by the adjacent primers physically constrained on the surface. Single-base extension (SBE) of arrayed primers on a chip has been extensively used in mini-sequencing to examine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). Some primers appeared to be extendable in the absence of any template and thus competed against the base extension directed by the assay target such as genomic DNA. In this article, a method is re...
A modest proposal for a new specialty: Children's community psychology

A children's community psychology is proposed. A children's community psychology would provide a new way to conceptualize children's issues to complement and counter more traditional views of children as individuals without a social context. It would explore the interaction between children and communities, looking at children as experienced by communities, and communities as experienced by children. More specifically, it would examine children's unique environments, the effect of larger environments upon children, cross-cultural development, and preventive interventions with children and their communities. Finally, a children's community psychology would better focus work involving children and communities, and renew impetus for primary preventive research and action involving young people.
What is engineering experience

SAID a young applicant to the secretary of a state registration board: “I don't understand why your board refuses to grant me a license as a professional engineer. Your requirements are a diploma and four years of experience. I have a diploma and five years' experience, but you turn me down. Why is it?” The reply of the secretary opened the eyes of the applicant. “You have been doing routine work which has not added to your professional development,” he said, “your experience is not satisfactory to the board.”