cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Field resistance to the Bacillus thuringiensis protein Cry1Ac expressed in Bollgard® hybrid cotton in pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), populations in India

BACKGROUND Bollgard® cotton, expressing Cry1Ac insecticidal protein, was approved for commercial planting in India in 2002, and by 2009 constituted 87% of the Indian crop, reducing losses from lepidopteran pests, including pink bollworm (PBW), Pectinophora gossypiella. Inadequate control of PBW in fields of single-gene Bollgard cotton was reported in 2009; surveys revealed heavy infestations of PBW in Bollgard, restricted to Gujarat state, but not elsewhere in India. RESULTS Bioassays of PBW strains from Bollgard bolls showed that, while susceptible PBW could not complete development to third and later instar at 10.0 µg Cry1Ac mL−1, 66.1% of larvae from Gujarat Bollgard strains could. A field-resistant strain, further selected in the laboratory, had susceptibility to Cry1Ac reduced by >2000-fold. Resistance to Cry1Ac did not confer cross-resistance to the Cry2Ab2 protein. In 2010, Bollgard fields in Gujarat continued to be infested with PBW, and many Bollgard fields in the adjoining states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh showed high-level infestation by PBW. CONCLUSION Inadequate planting of refuges for PBW is the likely explanation for the field resistance to Bt cotton observed in Gujarat. These findings underscore the higher vulnerability of single-gene Bt products relative to dual-gene products expressing Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab2, and the increased risk of resistance evolution with low refuge compliance. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Delayed Positive Feedback Can Stabilize Oscillatory Systems

This paper expands on a method proposed in [1] for stabilizing oscillatory system with positive, delayed feedback. The closed-loop system obtained is shown (using the Nyquist criterion) to be stable for a range of delays.
NOx emissions of alternative diesel fuels: A comparative analysis of biodiesel and FT diesel

This study explores the diesel injection and combustion processes in an effort to better understand the differences in NOx emissions between biodiesel, Fischer−Tropsch (FT) diesel, and their blends with a conventional diesel fuel. Emissions studies were performed with each fuel at a variety of static fuel injection timing conditions in a single-cylinder DI diesel engine with a mechanically controlled, in-line, pump-line-nozzle fuel injection system. The dynamic start of injection (SOI) timing correlated well with bulk modulus measurements made on the fuel blends. The high bulk modulus of soy-derived biodiesel blends produced an advance in SOI timing compared to conventional diesel fuel of up to 1.1 crank angle degrees, and the lower bulk modulus of the FT diesel produced a delay in SOI timing of up to 2.4 crank angle degrees. Compared to conventional diesel fuel at high load, biodiesel fuel blends produced increases in NOx emissions of 6−9% while FT fuels caused NOx emissions to decrease 21−22%. Shifts in...
A new way to measure nursing: computer timing of nursing time and support of laboring patients

The goal of this observational, descriptive study was to use an innovative computerized program to measure simultaneous nursing time and support activities during the first stage of active labor. No previous studies have looked at nursing time or support from the view of those in the labor room or have measured multitasking in labor care. A computerized timing program (developed using Microsoft Visual C++ version 6.0) was developed to accommodate time recording of up to seven simultaneous activities for nursing events during labor care. The program was highly usable and effective. It was determined that labor nurses spent an average of 69% of their time out of the patient's rooms and 31% of their time in the room of the active laboring patient. On average, patients received nursing supportive care for 13% of their active phase of labor. While in the room, 41% of the nurses' time was spent in supportive care and 63% was spent in other nursing activities. On average, nurses engage in only one observable activity 70% of the time; two activities, 20% of the time; and three activities, 1.5% of the time. This finding falls short of recommendations for provision of labor support.
Pathogenic mutations in the glycosylphosphatidylinositol signal peptide of PrP modulate its topology in neuroblastoma cells.

Abstract Point mutations M232R (PrP232R), M232T (PrP232T), and P238S (PrP238S) in the glycosylphosphatidylinositol signal peptide (GPI-SP) of the prion protein (PrPC) segregate with familial Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD). However, the mechanism by which these mutations induce cytotoxicity is unclear since the GPI-SP is replaced by a GPI anchor within 5 min of PrP synthesis and translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). To examine if mutations in this region interfere with translocation of nascent PrP into the ER or anchor addition, the metabolism of PrP232R and PrP232T was investigated in transfected human neuroblastoma cells. In this report, we demonstrate that PrP mutations M232R and M232T do not interfere with GPI anchor addition. Instead, these mutations increase the stability and transport of GPI-SP mediated post-translationally translocated PrP to the plasma membrane, where it is linked to the lipid bilayer in a potentially neurotoxic C-transmembrane (CtmPrP) orientation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the GPI-SP of PrP functions as an efficient co-translational and inefficient post-translational ER translocation signal when tagged to an unrelated protein, underscoring the functional versatility of this peptide. These data uncover an alternate pathway of ER translocation for nascent PrP, and provide information on the possible mechanism(s) of neurotoxicity by mutations in the GPI-SP.
Early CK-MB elevations predict ischemic events in stable chest pain patients.

Objective: To demonstrate that creatine kinase-MB fraction (CK-MB) elevations within three hours of presentation in the emergency department (ED) are associated with subsequent ischemic events in clinically stable chest pain patients. Methods: Prospective cohort study at two university-affiliated teaching hospitals. Participants were consenting ED chest pain patients 25 years old or older without evidence of rhythm or hemodynamic instability (n = 449). Exclusions included ST-segment elevation ≥0.1 mV in ≥2 electrocardiogram leads, chest wall trauma, abnormal x-ray studies, and incomplete data collection. Measurements included presenting and three-hour CK-MB levels, presenting ECG, initial clinical impression of coronary care unit need, and clinical follow up. Monitored adverse events included myocardial ischemia necessitating coronary angioplasty or cardiac bypass surgery, recurrent in-hospital myocardial infarction, bradycardia requiring pacing, emergent cardioversion, cardiogenic shock, ventricular fibrillation, and death. Results: Overall, nine (2%) of 449 patients experienced an ischemic event within the first 48 hours. All nine patients required either coronary angioplasty or bypass surgery. Four (44%) of the nine patients with 48-hour ischemic events had elevated CK-MB levels. Of 23 patients who had complications within one week of ED presentation, seven (30%) had elevated ED CK-MB levels. An elevated CK-MB level was associated with an ischemic event both within 48 hours (risk ratio 9.5; 95% CI 2.7–33.7) and within one week (risk ratio 5.2; 95% CI 2.3–11.7). Conclusions: An elevated CK-MB level within three hours of ED presentation is associated with a subsequent ischemic event in the clinically stable chest pain patient without ST-segment elevation. However, the ED CK-MB identifies only a minority of otherwise low-risk patients who develop ischemic events; other markers for diagnosing myocardial ischemia in the ED are needed.
Workplace Incivility and Conflict Management Styles: Predicting Job Performance, Organizational Commitment and Turnover Intent

The purpose of this study was to examine the relations among conflict management styles and target and instigator incivility and job performance, organizational commitment, and turnover intent. Data from 270 employees suggested that experiencing and instigating uncivil behavior occurred frequently. Using an integrative conflict management style was positively associated with job performance and organizational commitment and negatively with turnover intent. Dominate conflict management style was negatively associated with organizational commitment and positively with turnover intent. Both types of incivility were negatively associated with job performance and organizational commitment, and positively with turnover intent. Target incivility was the most powerful predictor in the hierarchical regression models.
Radiation effects of thymidine-2-C14: II. Chromosome aberrations caused by thymidine-2-C14 and thymine-2-C14 in the onion root tip☆

Abstract 1. 1. Chromosome aberrations were studied in onion root tips treated with thymidine 2-C 14 and thymine 2-C 14 . Roots treated with radiothymidine gave significantly higher aberration frequencies than those treated with radiothymine. Chromosome aberrations increased with increasing exposure to radiothymidine; this was not the case with radiothymine. 2. 2. Radiation effects of thymidine were studied because it is a precursor of DNA without diversion to any known cytoplasmic component including RNA. Thus a unique system is available for provoking intranuclear damage. Thymine enters the cell without becoming part of the DNA. 3. 3. Experiments were designed to determine whether or not the main source of chromosome aberration in thymidine-C 14 treated roots was the radiocarbon in the genetic material. Evidence for and against the hypothesis is presented. Additional approaches involving the use of more intensely radioactive thymine are outlined.
Some factors controlling the concentration of uranium in the world ocean

Abstract Low-temperature alteration of the oceanic crust is a major sink for the U supplied to the oceans and may account for about 50% of the estimated present-day input of this element. Uranium uptake by organic-rich sediments and coexisting phosphorites on continental margins is also important and may remove in excess of 10% of the total supply. High-temperature alteration of oceanic basalts, metalliferous sediments, carbonate sediments, and sediments in anoxic basins deeper than 200 m play a relatively minor role in the removal of U. Each of these sinks is responsible for the uptake of less than 5% of the overall input.
Transmission electron microscopy observations and micromechanical/continuum models for the effect of hydrogen on the mechanical behaviour of metals

Abstract In-situ deformation studies in a transmission electron microscope equipped with an environmental cell have shown that solute hydrogen increases the velocity of dislocations, decreases the stacking-fault energy, and increases the stability of edge character dislocations. Theoretical modelling has established that the hydrogen atmospheres formed at dislocations through the elastic interaction cause a change in the stress field of the dislocation-hydrogen complex in such a manner as to reduce the interaction energy between it and other elastic obstacles. Consequently, solute hydrogen increases the mobility of dislocations, which will be localized to regions of high hydrogen concentration. On the basis of this material softening on the microscale, a solid mechanics analysis of the hydrogen solute interaction with material elastoplasticity demonstrates that localization of the deformation in the form of bands of intense shear can occur on the macroscale. Thus, the present combined experimental and num...
Quantitative and Qualitative Observations on Fish Foods in Waddell Creek Lagoon

Abstract Seasonal studies of bottom foods were made in Waddell Creek Lagoon in 1932, 1933, and 1934. Quantitative samples were taken both with an Ekman dredge and a square-foot box. The numbers of organisms per square meter and pounds of food per acre are based on recalculations of results obtained from the unit areas sampled. The most abundant bottom populations by weight were found in March, and the least in November. Dominant animals were three crustaceans: two amphipods, Gammarus confervicolis and Corophium spinicorne, and one isopod, Exosphaeroma oregonensis. These are brackish water forms and almost completely replace typical fresh-water forms in the inter-tidal areas in Waddell Lagoon. Steelhead trout were found to eat large numbers of Gammarus, considerably less of Exosphaeroma, while no Corophium were found in the stomachs examined. A summary of results is given at the end of the paper.
Substrate Dependency and Effect of Xylanase Supplementation on Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Ammonia-Treated Biomass

Pretreatment based on aqueous ammonia was investigated under two different modes of operation: soaking in aqueous ammonia and ammonia recycle percolation. These processes were applied to three different feedstocks with varied composition: corn stover, high lignin (HL), and low lignin (LL) hybrid poplars. One of the important features of ammonia-based pretreatment is that most of the hemicellulose is retained after treatment, which simplifies the overall bioconversion process and enhances the conversion efficiency. The pretreatment processes were optimized for these feedstocks, taking carbohydrate retention as well as sugar yield in consideration. The data indicate that hybrid poplar is more difficult to treat than corn stover, thus, requires more severe conditions. On the other hand, hybrid poplar has a beneficial property that it retains most of the hemicellulose after pretreatment. To enhance the digestibility of ammonia-treated poplars, xylanase was supplemented during enzymatic hydrolysis. Because of high retention of hemicellulose in treated hybrid poplar, xylanase supplementation significantly improved xylan as well as glucan digestibility. Of the three feedstocks, best results and highest improvement by xylanase addition was observed with LL hybrid poplar, showing 90% of overall sugar yield.
Before Antietam: The Battle for South Mountain

The dates of 16-18 September 1862 mark the bloodiest battle in the American Civil War: Antietam. This book offers a tactical exploration of the Maryland campaign and the Battles of South Mountain, describing the decisive events leading up to the battle. Chronicling Robert E. Lee's turnabout from defensive manoeuvres to full-scale Confederate invasion into Maryland, it demonstrates how this tactical change brought about a series of engagements near Sharpsburg, Maryland, that came to be known as "The Battle of South Mountain" in which the Federal and George B. McClellan, the new Northern commander, led his army of the Potomac to its first victory over Lee in an action that produced one of the war's few successful bayonet charges. Written from the perspective of the front line combatants and civilian observers, the book recounts the stage for Antietam. From September 5-15, a total of 25 skirmishes and three pitched battles were fought. The book provides graphic descriptions of the conditions surrounding these events and shows that, had Robert E. Lee not been bested at the gaps along South Mountain, there would have been no Antietam. Lee's decision to make a stand along Antietam Creek was a fateful one, since the sparring and fighting drove him into an unteneable position that became his downfall. This narrative establishes that, at this stage of the Civil War, the Federal Cavalry was better equipped and just as well trained as the Confederate cavalry.
Experimental Strategies for Investigating Psychostimulant Drug Actions and Prefrontal Cortical Function in ADHD and Related Attention Disorders

Amphetamine-like psychostimulant drugs have been used for decades to treat a variety of clinical conditions. Methylphenidate (MPH)—Ritalin R , a compound that blocks reuptake of synaptically released norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) in the brain, has been used for more than 30 years in low dose, long-term regimens to treat attention deficithyperactive disorder (ADHD) in juveniles, adolescents, and adults. Now, these agents are also becoming increasingly popular among healthy individuals from all walks of life (e.g., military, students) and age groups (teenagers thru senior citizens) to promote wakefulness and improve attention. Although there is agreement regarding the primary biochemical action of MPH, the physiological basis for its efficacy in normal individuals and ADHD patients is lacking. Study of the behavioral and physiological actions of clinically and behaviorally relevant doses of MPH in normal animals provides an opportunity to explore the role of catecholamine transmitters in prefrontal cortical function and attentional processes as they relate to normal operation of brain circuits and ADHD pathology. The goal of ongoing studies has been to: (1) assess the effects of low dose MPH on rodent performance in a well characterized sensoryguided sustained attention task, (2) examine the effects of the same lowdose chronic MPH administration on task-related discharge of prefrontal cortical (PFC) neurons, and (3) investigate the effects of NE and DA on membrane response properties and synaptic transmission in identified subsets of PFC neurons. Combinations of these approaches can be used in adolescent, adult, and aged animals to identify the parameters of cell and neural circuit function that are regulated by MPH and to establish an overarching explanation of how MPH impacts PFC operations from cellular through behavioral functional domains. Anat Rec, 294:1698–1712, 2011. V C 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Continuous animation and simulation

This paper provides a general introduction to continuous animation and simulation for scientists and engineers who have little background in computer graphics. Topics covered include real-time animation, simulation, efficiency of animation and simulation, synchronization, physics-based simulation, and software simulation tools. At the end, an example of continuous simulation of a spider climbing on a spider web is discussed with implementation detail. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Esterases of Lactobacillus helveticus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus

Abstract Intracellular esterase activity of Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ 32, L. helveticus ATCC 10797, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus ATCC 12278 were determined using chromogenic o - and p -nitrophenyl derivatives of fatty acids as substrates. Each of the three strains of lactobacilli had active esterase, which hydrolyzed p -nitrophenyl derivatives of acetate, butyrate, and caproate. Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus ATCC 12278 had the most esterase activity, followed by L. helveticus CNRZ 32, and then by L. helveticus ATCC 10797. Active esterases in crude cell-free extracts were separated by PAGE; identified by histochemical staining; and their specificities toward α- and β-naphthyl esters of acetic, butyric, caproic, and palmitic acids were determined. Extracts of each of the three lactobacilli exhibited two active esterase bands, but relative mobility values of the enzyme differed among the strains. Esterase activity of L. helveticus CNRZ 32 increased gradually from the beginning of the log phase until it reached a maximum after 24h of incubation. The freezing process reduced, when compared with unfrozen cells, the intracellular esterase activity of L. helveticus CNRZ 32 grown in MRS broth or skim milk. Cells of L. helveticus CNRZ 32 grown in 10% sterile skim milk had slightly less esterase activity (up to 13%), and cells grown in a 7.5% whey-based medium had between 1.3- and 1.7-fold more activity, depending on which test substrate was hydrolyzed, than did MRS-grown cells.
Value monoids of zero-dimensional valuations of rank 1

Classically, Grobner bases are computed by first prescribing a fixed monomial order. Moss Sweedler suggested an alternative in the mid-1980s and developed a framework for performing such computations by using valuation rings in place of monomial orders. We build on these ideas by providing a class of valuations on K(x,y) that are suitable for this framework. We then perform such computations for ideals in the polynomial ring K[x,y]. Interestingly, for these valuations, some ideals have finite Grobner bases with respect to a valuation that are not Grobner bases with respect to any monomial order, whereas other ideals only have Grobner bases that are infinite.
Sequential Decoding with a Look-Ahead Path Metric

Convolutional codes are an efficient means of achieving reliable communication with low latency and complexity constraints. Since optimal Viterbi decoding of long (say, above 8) constraint length codes can be prohibitively complex, sequential decoders, such as the Zigangirov-Jelinek (ZJ) stack algorithm or the Fano algorithm can be applied. However, the performance of sequential algorithms is limited by a steep increase in the average number of steps per information bit that takes place close to the cutoff rate, more than by the error correcting capabilities of the code itself. In this paper we examine the problem of improving the performance of sequential decoders by designing more sophisticated path metrics. In particular, we propose a look-ahead (LA) path metric, which equals the Fano metric of the best path stemming from the current path for a fixed number of time steps. We demonstrate that in the limit of a large number of look-ahead time steps, sequential decoding becomes equivalent to the backtracking step of the Viterbi algorithm. Direct computation of the LA metric requires searching an exponential number of partial paths at each state and is infeasible, since the extra cost of computing the metric outweighs the savings in the number of time steps. However, in some scenarios of interest, the LA metric can be computed by other means. In the particular case of a covolutional code transmitted over a binary symmetric channel (BSC), this metric can be obtained from a modified syndrome decoder that stores for each partial syndrome the weight of the minimum weight error event. We demonstrate through simulations that this structure leads to an efficient and computationally inexpensive sequential decoding algorithm.
The influence of design problem complexity on the attainment of design skills and student perceptions

One of the current educational challenges is how do we educate engineers to systematically solve open-ended real-world design problems? The capstone design course often plays a critical role in this, but there are numerous questions on how best to teach design and what are the characteristics of realistic design problems which provide excellent learning opportunities. This paper reports on a controlled evaluation of the effects of design problem complexity on students' ability to functionally abstract a design problem and its effect on their perceived value for variety of design methods. It is important for students to learn a systematic approach to the design process and to perceive its effectiveness. Students' perceptions and functional modeling skill are measured. Results, while preliminary due to limited sample size, indicate the complexity of the design problem is a critical factor in teaching design methods. There is a statistical interaction between the complexity of the design problem and opinion of functional modeling on their ability. Results also indicate that students who work on more complex design problems are more likely to expect to use functional modeling in the future. More complex design problems lead to a more positive student opinion. Further development of the functional modeling quiz is needed as is a larger sample size. Overall, results indicate that more complex design problem demonstrate to the students the effectiveness of the methods.
Silencing the Cochlear Amplifier by Immobilizing Prestin

Achieving the exquisite sensitivity and frequency selectivity of the mammalian ear requires active amplification of input sound. In this issue of Neuron, Dallos and colleagues demonstrate that the molecular motor prestin, which drives shape changes in the soma of mechanosensory hair cells, underlies mechanical feedback mechanisms for sound amplification in mammals.
The Mathematics of Tithing: A Study of Religious Giving and Mathematical Development

The purpose of this study was to examine children's mathematical understandings related to participation in tithing (giving 10% of earnings to the church). Observations of church services and events, as well as interviews with parents, children, and church leaders, were analyzed in an effort to capture the ways in which mathematical problem solving was related to the social context of tithing. I introduce the direct influence model to describe components of the practice itself and to identify supports and constraints that exist related to children's opportunities to engage in problem solving that varied by participation frequency and mathematical complexity.
Interactions of small molecules and Au nanoparticles with solubilized single-wall carbon nanotubes

Oxidatively end-cut single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) has been solubilized (sol-SWNT) in organic solvents by refluxing in aniline and purified by silica gel chromatography. NMR analysis of sol-SWN...
Prediction of forearm muscle activity during gripping.

Occupational exposure is typically assessed by measuring forces and body postures to infer muscular loading. Better understanding of workplace muscle activity levels would aid in indicating which muscles may be at risk for overexertion and injury. However, electromyography collection in the workplace is often not practical. Therefore, a set of equations was developed and validated using data from two separate days to predict forearm muscle activity (involving six wrist and finger muscles) from grip force and posture of the wrist (flexed, neutral and extended) and forearm (pronated, neutral, supinated). The error in predicting activation levels of each forearm muscle across the range of grip forces, using the first day data (root mean square error; RMSEmodel), ranged from 8.9% maximal voluntary electrical activation (MVE) (flexor carpi radialis) to 11% MVE (extensor digitorum communis). Grip force was the main contributor to predicting muscle activity levels, explaining over 70% of the variance in flexor a...
In the dance studio: Analysis of human flocking

Flock Logic is an art and engineering project that explores how the feedback laws used to model flocking translate when applied by a group of dancers. The artistic goal is to create tools for choreography by leveraging dynamics of multiagent systems with designed feedback and interaction. The engineering goal is to develop insights and design principles for multi-agent systems, such as human crowds, animal groups and mobile robotic networks, by examining the connections between what individual dancers do and what emerges at the level of the group. We describe our methods to create dance and investigate collective motion. To illustrate, we analyze the overhead video of an experiment in which thirteen dancers moved according to simple rules of cohesion and repulsion in response to the relative position and motion of their neighbors. Importantly, because we have prescribed the interaction protocol, we can estimate from the tracked trajectories the time-varying graph that defines who is responding to whom as time evolves. We compute time-varying status of nodes in the graph and infer conditions under which certain individuals emerge as leaders.
Halo vest instrumentation

The halo vest is a head and neck immobilization system that is often used on patients that are recovering from cervical trauma or surgery. The halo vest system consists of a rigid halo that is firmly attached to the skull, an upright support structure for stabilization and immobilization, and a torso-enveloping vest. The main purpose of this study was to measure the forces that are carried by the halo-vest structure as the subject undergoes various activities of daily living and external loading for different vest designs. A tethered strain gage load cell based instrumentation system was used to take these load measurements on ten different subjects. Three different halo-vest systems were evaluated. The primary difference between the vests was the amount of torso coverage and the use of shoulder straps. The loads were measured, analyzed and used to compare the vests and to create a model of halo-vest-neck mechanics. Future applications of this technology to standalone data logging, pin-load measuring and biofeedback applications are discussed.
Ultraviolet Photoelectron Spectroscopy of o-, m-, and p-Halobenzyl Anions

The 351 nm photoelectron spectra of the ortho, meta, and para isomers of the fluorobenzyl, chlorobenzyl, and bromobenzyl anions all exhibit resolved, analyzable vibrational structure. For a given isomer, the electron affinity increases with increasing halide atomic number, while for a given halogen substituent, the meta isomer has the largest electron affinity and the para isomer has the lowest. The electron affinities of the o-, m-, and p-fluorobenzyl radicals are found to be 1.091 ± 0.008, 1.173 ± 0.008, and 0.937 ± 0.008 eV, respectively, the electron affinities of the o-, m-, and p-chlorobenzyl radicals are 1.257 ± 0.008, 1.272 ± 0.008, and 1.174 ± 0.008 eV, respectively, and the electron affinities of o-, m-, and p-bromobenzyl radicals are 1.308 ± 0.008, 1.307 ± 0.008, and 1.229 ± 0.008 eV, respectively. Two vibrational progressions are present in all of the halobenzyl spectra, corresponding to the ring-deformation mode and either a ring stretching mode or the CH2 bending mode. The measured electron ...
Auto-Calibrated Parallel Spiral Imaging

This work describes an auto-calibrated method for parallel imaging with spiral trajectory. The method is a k-space approach where an interpolation kernel, accounting for coil sensitivity factors, is derived from experimental data and used to interpolate the reduced data set in parallel imaging to estimate the missing k-space data. For the case of spiral imaging, this interpolation kernel is defined along radial directions so that missing spiral interleaves can be estimated directly from neighboring interleaves. This kernel is invariant along the radial direction but varies azimuthally. Therefore, the k-space is divided into angular sectors and sector-specific kernels are used. It is demonstrated experimentally that relatively few sectors are sufficient for accurate reconstruction, allowing for efficient implementation. The interpolation kernels can be derived either from a separate calibration scan or self-calibration data available with a dual-density spiral acquisition. The reconstruction method is implemented with two sampling strategies and experimentally demonstrated to be robust.
Evaluation of an ergonomics intervention among Nicaraguan coffee harvesting workers

This study evaluated an ergonomics intervention among Nicaraguan coffee harvesting workers, using electromyography and questionnaire survey techniques. Nicaraguan researchers were involved in the study so that they could gain hands-on experience with ergonomics research and applications, and eventually be the specialists conducting ergonomics interventions in Nicaraguan workplaces. Coffee harvesting activities were studied individually and physical hazards were identified accordingly. The results showed decreased muscle loading on the erector spinae muscle and improved comfort reporting in the back region compared to the commonly used baskets. This fulfils the design objective of a newly developed bag that was used in the intervention to reduce physical workload on the coffee harvesting workers. Workers' opinion survey results showed some issues related to the size of the new bag and the lumbar–shoulder belt mechanism. This information can be used in the modification of the bag in the next design. Key pla...
CDKN2A point mutations D153spl(c.457G>T) and IVS2+1G>T result in aberrant splice products affecting both p16INK4a and p14ARF

The CDKN2A gene, which encodes the proteins p16(INK4a) and p14(ARF), is located on chromosome 9p21. Germline mutations at this locus increase susceptibility to cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM). In general, missense and nonsense mutations are primarily responsible for defective p16(INK4a) and possibly p14(ARF) protein function and account for approximately 20% of inherited CMM cases. We report a G>T transversion mutation in the last nucleotide of exon 2, affecting the aspartic acid residue at position 153 of CDKN2A-p16(INK4a) in a proband with melanoma. If splicing were unaffected, this mutation would change Asp to Tyr. RT-PCR analysis, however, revealed that this mutation, which we have termed D153spl(c.457G>T), and a previously described mutation at the next nucleotide, IVS2+1G>T, result in identical aberrant splicing affecting both p16(INK4a) and p14(ARF). The two main alternate splice products for each of the two normal transcripts includes a 74 bp deletion in exon 2, revealing a cryptic splice site, and the complete skipping of exon 2. The dual inactivation of p16(INK4a) and p14(ARF) may contribute to the CMM in these families.
A Medical Student Elective Promoting Humanism, Communication Skills, Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Physician Self-Care: An Evaluation of the HEART Program

Objective In 2002 the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) created a fourth-year medical student elective known as the Humanistic Elective in alternative medicine, Activism, and Reflective Transformation (HEART) that provided the opportunity for students to explore humanism in medicine, self-care, complementary and alternative medicine modalities, communication, activism, and community building in a four-week immersion experience. The educational effects of this elective, and whether it has met its stated goals, are unknown. Method The authors conducted a web-based, cross-sectional survey of the first eight cohorts of HEART graduates in 2010. Survey questions assessed respondents' demographics and perspectives on the educational impact of the elective. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample and qualitative analyses were guided by grounded theory. Results Of 168 eligible alumni, 122 (73%) completed the survey. The majority were female (70%), age ≤35 (77%) years, and trained in primary care specialties (66%). Half were attendings in practice. The majority of respondents felt the elective taught professionalism (89%) and communication skills (92%) well or very well. The majority highly agreed that the elective helped them better cope with stress during residency training (80%), taught them self-care skills (75%), and improved their ability to empathize and connect with patients (71%). Qualitative analysis of the personal and professional impact of the elective identified twelve common themes with self-discovery, self-care, and collegial development/community most frequently cited. Conclusions The majority of HEART graduates endorse learning important skills and benefiting from the experience both personally and professionally. Aspects of the HEART curriculum may help training programs teach professionalism and improve trainee well-being.
Denitrification Loss from Two Pennsylvania Floodplain Soils

Denitrification losses and dissolved nitrous oxide concentration within a well- and poorly-drained soil under ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) were measured for ≃12 mo. The soils received up to 252 kg N/ha as potassium nitrate in two equal amounts. Denitrification increased in March as the soil warmed to 5 to 7 o C with the highest rates occurring soon after N was applied. Approximately 30% of annual loss occurred within 2 wk of fertilization. Dissolved nitrous oxide concentration peaks corresponded to periods with elevated denitrification
Epidemiology for the practicing orthodontist

Epidemiological principles and biostatistical techniques are essential when performing research in human populations. This article describes the methods used for designing valid and reliable research and the statistical concepts necessary to analyze data from such studies. Specifically, the overview includes the different epidemiological study designs, sampling techniques, sources of bias encountered in research studies, and statistical tests to assess significance. It is hoped that clinical orthodontists will benefit from this review.
Multicystic Dysplastic Kidney: Another Application of 99mTc MAG3

The value of 99m Technetium-mercapto acetyl triglycine ( 99m Tc MAG3) in the investigation of 10 children with suspected multicystic dysplastic kidney (MCDK) has been assessed. The condition has to be distinguished from hydronephrosis, usually caused by pelviureteric junction obstruction. Based on our findings, we propose that 99m Tc MAG3 replace 99m Tc DMSA because it allows a better assessment of the contralateral kidney and permits a full assessment where the diagnosis is hydronephrosis rather than MCDK.
Perpetrator and victim gender patterns for 21 forms of youth victimization in the National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence

Most interest in violence and gender has focused on certain types of victimization such as sex offenses and relational aggression. This study examined gender patterns across numerous forms of youth victimization. The data are from the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV), a nationally representative U.S. sample of 4,549 children ages 1 month to 17 years obtained through a telephone survey of caregivers and youth. For 18 of 21 victimization types, male perpetration was significantly more common than female perpetration. Perpetrator–victim patterns revealed that most forms of physical assault and bullying showed a predominantly male-on-male pattern. All forms of sexual assault, plus kidnapping, showed a predominantly male-on-female pattern. Nonphysical maltreatment showed a mixed pattern, with fairly similar rates across all four gender configurations. Many violence types were more severe when perpetrated by males versus females as indicated by higher injury rates and greater victim fear. Higher order analyses by victimization type indicated, among other findings, that victimization types with more stranger perpetrators had more male perpetrators, victimizations with higher percentages of male-on-female and female-on-male incidents were more likely to be sexual offenses, and higher percentages of female-on-female incidents were associated with verbal victimizations. Results also suggest that males are more likely to aggress in more impersonal contexts compared to females. Gender socialization, physical power, and social power appear to intersect in ways that create gendered patterns of violence. These factors, versus a focus on skills deficits, need more attention in prevention and intervention.
Comparison of clinical CPR studies in Milwaukee and elsewhere in the United States

As we mark the 25th anniversary of the clinical application of closed-chest cardiopulmonary resuscitation (SCPR), it is time to look back and analyze the progress we have made in the resuscitation of sudden death syndrome. Recent studies of SCPR's effectiveness have yielded mixed results, in comparison to early studies that were universally favorable. The continued toll of neurologic injury following SCPR resuscitation, and reinforcement of the importance of defibrillation in resuscitation, stimulate us to find improved forms of SCPR and improved methods of resuscitation delivery in emergency medical systems.
Direct and Indirect Influence of Parental Bedrock on Streambed Microbial Community Structure in Forested Streams

A correlative study was performed to determine if variation in streambed microbial community structure in low-order forested streams can be directly or indirectly linked to the chemical nature of the parental bedrock of the environments through which the streams flow. Total microbial and photosynthetic biomass (phospholipid phosphate [PLP] and chlorophyll a), community structure (phospholipid fatty acid analysis), and physical and chemical parameters were measured in six streams, three located in sandstone and three in limestone regions of the Bankhead National Forest in northern Alabama. Although stream water flowing through the two different bedrock types differed significantly in chemical composition, there were no significant differences in total microbial and photosynthetic biomass in the sediments. In contrast, sedimentary microbial community structure differed between the bedrock types and was significantly correlated with stream water ion concentrations. A pattern of seasonal variation in microbial community structure was also observed. Further statistical analysis indicated dissolved organic matter (DOM) quality, which was previously shown to be influenced by geological variation, correlated with variation in bacterial community structure. These results indicate that the geology of underlying bedrock influences benthic microbial communities directly via changes in water chemistry and also indirectly via stream water DOM quality. Microorganisms are one of the most important groups of living organisms. Their small size, ubiquitous distribution, metabolic diversity, and genetic plasticity cast microorganisms in the role of recycling agents for the biosphere, making life possible for more complex organisms (47). To better under
DISCOVERING TRACES OF THE PAST: STUDIES OF BILINGUALISM AMONG SCHOOL PUPILS IN FINLAND AND IN SWEDEN. ACTA UNIVERSITATIS OULUENSIS, E 23. Olli Kuure. Oulu, Finland: Oulu University Press, 1997. Pp. 82 + 70.

In this dissertation based on empirical studies conducted by the author and reprinted as a series of articles in the text, Kuure studies the development of different types of bilingualism. The primary purpose of the studies is to determine the significance of age in the acquisition of a second language. Evidence is also provided for describing the acquisition and use of languages in various multicultural and multilingual settings. Data for the studies were obtained from Finnish-Swedish bilingual students between the ages of 13 and 15 for whom Swedish was the second language.
Quantifying gas sensor and delivery system response time using GC/MS

Semiconducting metal oxide (SMO) chemiresistive sensors have applications for gas detection in chemical, biological, medical and environmental fields. We examine how properties of the sensor test system can introduce errors into measurements of sensitivity, reproducibility and response time of SMO sensors. We describe and characterize the performance of a typical gas delivery system using a gas chromatograph/quadruple mass spectrometer (GC/MS) and custom-designed gas sampling system. The accuracy of parameters extracted from the sensor response is assessed from a model that incorporates both the delivery system characteristics and surface reaction kinetics on SMO sensors. Our analysis shows that effects of the test system on response time are significant, particularly at lower concentrations and for less volatile compounds. Sensor to sensor reproducibility is critically dependent upon sensor RTD temperature calibration, while the variation in sensor response from pulse to pulse is controlled by the gas delivery system.
Modeling of nonlocal electron kinetics in a low-pressure inductively coupled plasma.

Two different kinetic calculations have been employed to model electron behavior in a low-pressure inductively coupled plasma (ICP) in order to investigate the processes governing the formation of the electron distribution function (EDF). One approach involves a numerical ``propagator'' treatment of time-resolved electron motion in five-dimensional phase space (two spatial and three velocity coordinates) based on the ``convected scheme'' (CS). The other one, referred to as the ``nonlocal'' approach, uses the difference between momentum and energy relaxation rates of electrons to simplify the Boltzmann equation. For the majority of electrons, the nonlocal approach reduces the kinetic equation for the isotropic part of the EDF to a form that exhibits a resemblance to that for homogeneous plasmas. Both calculations incorporate the principal physical effects in a collisional ICP: electron heating by an inductive electric field and nonlocal electron kinetics in which the electrons rapidly lose momentum but travel long distances before suffering a substantial energy loss in collisions. The collision processes that are important in the discharge include quasielastic and inelastic collisions with heavy particles and electron-electron interactions. A comparison of the results of the two methods validates the assumptions employed in the nonlocal approach for the considered range of discharge conditions. To good accuracy the EDF of the majority of the electrons in the ICP is found to be solely a function of the total (kinetic plus potential) electron energy and to be largely independent of the spatial coordinates. The extent to which this is true, and the circumstances under which it is true, are a major focus of this paper. In a rare gas ICP, as a result of Coulomb collisions between electrons, a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution is typically found in the elastic energy range. The CS calculations demonstrate that trapped electrons can carry a substantial circulating current within the plasma that exceeds the current of free electrons to the walls. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
New drug information resources for pharmacists at the National Library of Medicine

Abstract Objective To provide an overview of selected drug information-related databases of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), with a focus on newer resources that support the professional information needs of pharmacists and other health care providers. Summary NLM, which is the world's largest medical library, provides an array of bibliographic, factual, and evidence-based drug, herbal remedy, and dietary supplement information resources. Five of the more recently introduced online resources include areas of particular importance to pharmacists, including a repository of current product labeling/package inserts, with automated search links to associated information resources; a portal to drug information that allows pharmacists to search multiple databases simultaneously and link to related medication and health care information resources; authoritative information on the effects of medications, herbal remedies, and dietary supplements in nursing infants and their mothers; comprehensive information, including a case registry, on the potential for liver toxicity due to drugs, herbal remedies, and dietary supplements; and a pill identification system with two intuitive search methodologies. Conclusion NLM provides several clinical–scientific drug information resources that are particularly useful in meeting the professional information needs of pharmacists.
Uniform Ergodicity and Strong Mixing

as n---,oe. It should be noted that what we call strong mixing in this paper is a more stringent condition than what is ordinarily referred to as strong mixing, namely that P(A c~ zkB) ~P(A) P(B) as k ~ o o for any two measurable sets A, B. It is clear that strong mixing implies uniform ergodicity. In the case of stationary Markov sequences these conditions can be stated in another convenient form. If {X,} is a Markov sequence let d be the Borel field of measurable sets on the state space of the process. Let P ( , . ) be the one-step transition probability function of the Markov sequence and set
A study of the variance-covariance matrix for gamma-ray spectra☆

Abstract The probability distribution function of the counts in the various channels of gamma-ray spectra were studied by accumulating an experimental frequency function for each channel. The standard variance assumption for data from a radioactive source was investigated. Finally, a variance-covariance matrix for the gamma-ray spectra was calculated. These results indicate that most of the standard assumptions, e.g., normality and uncorrelated data, are valid for gamma-ray spectra.