cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dysplasia: A common finding in intractable pediatric temporal lobe epilepsy

Background: Risk factors for temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) include history of CNS infection, family history of epilepsy, and history of febrile convulsions (FC). Pre-existing cortical dysplasia (CD) may also predispose to refractory TLE, independent of other risk factors for epilepsy. Methods: The authors reviewed the neuropathologic features of surgical tissue from temporal lobectomies of 33 pediatric patients with refractory TLE, with and without a history of epilepsy risk factors. Results: CD was found in 64% (21/33) of all patients with refractory TLE, including 73% (11/15) patients with a history of FC, 66% (2/3) patients with CNS infections, and 83% (5/6) patients with a family history of epilepsy. Disrupted cortical lamination, dystrophic and maloriented neurons, and balloon cells characterized the CD found in the temporal neocortex. Conclusion: CD was seen in 21 of 33 surgical specimens from children with refractory TLE, including those with and without other epilepsy risk factors.
Analysis and design issues for studies using censored biomarker measurements with an example of viral load measurements in HIV clinical trials

For many biomarkers, the range (L,R) over which they can be quantified is restricted by technical limitations, leading to some measurements that are left or right censored. However, despite the widespread availability of statistical methods for the analysis of censored data, many studies use an imputed value for censored measurements (for example, replacing a value <L by L, or by L/2). Commonly, an analysis that ignores such imputation is then used. In clinical trials, this leads to bias and a loss of power in evaluating treatment effects. In this paper, a review of appropriate statistical methods for parametric and non-parametric analysis of such measurements is presented. This includes methods for situations in which baseline measurements are available. New results concerning design issues such as sample size determination are also presented. The paper is illustrated using two examples of studies that included censored measurements of viral load in HIV-infected subjects.
Residual alveolar ridge maintenance with a new endosseous implant material

In an effort to maintain the height of the residual alveolar ridge, Bioglass cones were placed in fresh sockets after tooth extraction. Today the emphasis is on maintaining the residual alveolar ridge instead of letting it resorb and subsequently resorting to heroic efforts for augmentation. To date, 242 cone implants have been placed in 29 patients. Implant follow-up observation time ranged from 12 to 32 months with an average of 19.9 months. Twenty-seven patients have been fitted with dentures. To date seven implants (2.9%) have been lost. The Bioglass implants appear to be highly biocompatible as evidenced by absence of infection, normal mucosal healing, and radiographic evidence of bone healing around the implants. Evaluation of several implants reexposed surgically revealed new bone in direct contact with the immobile implants circumferentially. The problem of implant dehiscence that started to occur after approximately 10 months in other investigations had not manifested itself in the Bioglass implant patients who have been wearing their dentures for at least 12 months.
Craniometric Variation in the Americas

Craniofacial variation is investigated in Latin America and the Caribbean. The samples included in this study are two historic and one prehistoric sample from Ecuador; prehistoric and modern Cuban samples; a prehistoric Peruvian sample; two prehistoric Mexican samples and one contemporary admixed Mexican sample; a 16th/17th-century Spanish sample; and Terry blacks. Biological distance is investigated using traditional craniometrics by computing size and shape variables according to Mosimann and colleagues. This study shows that there is much biological variation within the Americas.
Measurement of the half-life of 20F

Abstract The half-life of 20F has been measured, using a radioactive ion beam technique. The resulting half-life is 11.163±0.008 s.
Adaptive Nov Elty Filtering For Machine Vision

The development of an autonomous mobile platform vision system that can adapt to a variety of surroundings by modifying its current memory is an ambitious goal. We believe that to achieve such an ambitious goal it is necessary to look at areas that may seem unconventional to some researchers. Such an area is associative memory. For an autonomous robotic vision system to function adaptively it must be able to respond to a wide variety of visual stimuli, sort out what is new or different from previously stored information, and update its memory taking this new information into account. To compound the problem, this procedure should be invariant to the scale of objects within the scene and to some degree rotations as well. With this in mind we can identify two main functions that are desirable in such a visual system: 1) the ability to identify novel items within a scene; and 2) the ability to adaptively update the system memory. The need for these functions has led to the investigation of a class of filters called Novelty Filters. By use of a coordinate transformation it is possible to specify novelty filters that are invariant to scale and rotational changes. Further, it is then possible to postulate an adaptive memory equation which reflects the adaptive novelty filter for a multiple-channel pattern recognition system. This paper, while not all inclusive, is meant to stimulate further interest as well as report preliminary simulation and mathematical results.
A HYCOM modeling study of the Persian Gulf: 2. Formation and export of Persian Gulf Water

[1] The circulation and water mass transformation processes in the Persian Gulf and the water exchange with the Indian Ocean through the Strait of Hormuz are studied using the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM). Model results suggest that intruding Indian Ocean Surface Water (IOSW) is transformed into hypersaline waters with salinity >41 practical salinity unit by the fresh water loss in the northern end of the gulf and in the southern shallow banks. During wintertime, intense heat loss from sea to air leads to the formation of cold and saline waters both in the northern gulf and in the southern gulf. Dense waters formed in the southern gulf have higher salinity and spill into the axial deep trough of the gulf as a sporadic bottom outflow in winter, which leads to high-salinity pulses in the strait as observed, whereas in summer their buoyancy is increased due to heating and they are exported as a warm yet salty intermediate depth flow through the strait. Dense waters formed in the northern gulf propagate toward the strait along the axial trough throughout the year. Correspondingly, there are two branches of seasonal overturning circulation in density classes: the northern branch peaking in August with strength of 0.13 Sv and the southern branch peaking in February and December with strength of 0.08 Sv. These two branches outflow together feed a seasonally varying deep outflow through the strait with an annual mean volume transport of 0.12 Sv.
Evaluation of a Culturally Tailored Skills Intervention for Latinos with Persistent Psychotic Disorders.

Fifty-nine Latino participants diagnosed with persistent psychotic disorders were assigned to either a culturally tailored skills-training intervention (n = 21), an equivalent non tailored intervention (n = 15), or a community-based support group (n = 23). Participants completed a number of skills-based performance assessments (e.g., UCSD performance-based skills assessment; UPSA) and a well-being measure prior to and immediately posttreatment. Compared with those in the nontailored intervention, participants receiving the tailored intervention showed significant improvement in several outcomes. These results indicate that Latino individuals with persistent psychotic disorders benefit from interventions that consider cultural values and mores.
Thompson’s metric and global stability of difference equations

We apply the Thompson’s metric to study the global stability of the equilibium of the following difference equation $$ y_{n} = \frac{f_{2m+1}^{2m+1} (y_{n-k_{1}}^r, y_{n-k_{2}}^r, \dots, y_{n-k_{2m+1}}^r)}{f_{2m}^{2m+1} (y_{n-k_{1}}^r, y_{n-k_{2}}^r, \dots, y_{n-k_{2m+1}}^r)}, \;\;\;\; n = 0,1,2, \ldots, $$ where \({f_{2m+1}^{2m+1}}\) and \({f_{2m}^{2m+1}}\) are polynomials in 2m + 1 variables which satisfy certain conditions. Our results include Stevic’s (Appl Math Comput 216:179–186, 2010), Zhang et al.’s (Bull Aust Math Soc 81:251–259, 2010) and other related results as special cases.
President Sukarno and the Communists: The Politics of Domestication

The Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) is today the largest communist party outside the Sino-Soviet bloc. In a country with a population of some 96 million, it claims today a membership of two million, and the communist mass organizations claim more than 11 million members. At the same time PKI is well represented in parliament and the several high-level councils appointed by Sukarno to render advice to the government. The deputy governors of three of the four provinces in Java are communists, and as of March 9, 1962 the two main Party leaders acquired quasi-cabinet status. Yet the possibility is remote that PKI may achieve power in Indonesia in the foreseeable future. My purpose here is an analysis of the Party's place in Indonesian politics that results in this forecast.
Spin-dynamics study of the dynamic critical behavior of the three-dimensional classical Heisenberg ferromagnet.

Using spin-dynamics techniques we have performed large-scale computer simulations of the dynamic behavior of the L\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}L\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}L body-centered-cubic classical Heisenberg ferromagnet with L\ensuremath{\le}40 in the vicinity of the critical point ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$. The temporal evolutions of spin configurations were determined numerically from coupled equations of motion for individual spins by a fourth-order predictor-corrector method with initial spin configurations generated by Monte Carlo methods. The space- and time-displaced spin-spin correlation functions and their space-time Fourier transforms were calculated to determine the neutron-scattering functions. We developed a dynamic finite-size scaling theory for the neutron-scattering function at ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ and used it to extract the dynamic critical exponent z. Within our resolution limit, the value of z was estimated to be 2.478(28), in excellent agreement with the dynamic scaling prediction, and dynamic scaling was found to be valid for momentum transfer q up to 0.4\ensuremath{\pi} in the (1,0,0) direction.
Comment on “Hospital Mergers and Competitive Effects: Two Retrospective Analyses”

Abstract This note explains why the difference‐in‐differences methodology, as applied by Deborah Haas‐Wilson and Christopher Garmon in their paper “Hospital Mergers and Competitive Effects: Two Retrospective Analyses” contained in this issue, does not produce credible results when applied to an assessment of the merger of Evanston and Highland Park Hospital, north of Chicago. Because of data deficiencies, an inability to control adequately for variation in factors that might affect the rate of price changes, and questionable assumptions about the pre‐merger equilibrium, the econometric results are inconsistent with other market factors that indicated that the merging hospitals were not close competitors. These market conditions are instead consistent with the view of the largest payer, who opined that the transaction had no effect on its ability to obtain competitive rates.
The Formation & Evolution of Galaxies

Weighing in at 1042 kilograms and measuring 1021 meters across, galaxies are perhaps the most awe-inspiring objects known to mankind. They are also the only places in an otherwise dark and unforgiving universe where stars and planets are able to form. In the past five to ten years we have made enormous progress in understanding when galaxies came into being and how they changed and evolved over the course of cosmic time. For the first time, we have a rudimentary idea of what our own Milky Way looked like in the distant past, and we can now simulate Milky Way–like galaxies inside powerful computers. As we are starting to understand what happened in our galaxy's past, we are now turning to the question of why it happened. Untangling the complex physical processes that shape galaxies is extremely difficult, and will require continued advances in computers and information from powerful new telescopes coming online in the next decade.
Transcription Initiation and Termination on Leishmania major Chromosome 3

Genome projects involving Leishmania and other trypanosomatids have revealed that most genes in these organisms are organized into large clusters of genes on the same DNA strand. We have previously shown that transcription of the entire Leishmania major Friedlin (LmjF) chromosome 1 (chr1) initiates bidirectionally between two divergent gene clusters. Here, we analyze transcription of LmjF chr3, which contains two convergent clusters of 67 and 30 genes, separated by a tRNA gene, with a single divergent protein-coding gene located close to the “left” telomere. Nuclear run-on analyses indicate that specific transcription of chr3 initiates bidirectionally between the single subtelomeric gene and the adjacent 67-gene cluster, close to the “right” telomere upstream of the 30-gene cluster, and upstream of the tRNA gene. Transcription on both strands terminates within the tRNA-gene region. Transient-transfection studies support the role of the tRNA-gene region as a transcription terminator for RNA polymerase II (Pol II) and Pol III, and also for Pol I.
Padded Self-Adhesive Strap Immobilization Following Newborn Bladder Exstrophy Closure: The Utah Straps

Purpose: Several methods have been described for immobilization of the pelvis following bladder exstrophy closure, which can be challenging to manage. We hypothesized that immobilization can be significantly simplified using a modified mermaid wrap with padded Velcro® straps around the thigh and lower leg.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent bladder exstrophy closure in the newborn period at our institution from 1990 through 2010. Patients with cloacal exstrophy and those who underwent delayed closure due to other medical conditions were excluded. We collected data on closure technique, length of stay and complications of the primary closure as outcomes.Results: A total of 20 boys and 7 girls underwent closure of classic bladder exstrophy. Followup ranged from 2 to 22 years. Seven boys underwent complete primary repair and 13 underwent staged repair. All patients had the legs stabilized with a modified wrap technique using 2 lengths of Velcro straps lined with self...
Translaryngeal jet ventilation and end-tidal PCO2 monitoring during varying degrees of upper airway obstruction.

Study objectives: To explore the ventilatory adequacy of translaryngeal jet ventilation (TLJV) during partial upper airway obstruction and the usefulness of monitoring end-tidal CO 2 (PETco 2 ) during this condition. Design: Prospective, nonrandomized, sequential crossover design. Setting and participants: Apneic dog model (five dogs; mean weight, 23 kg). Interventions: Animals were intubated with a 9.0-mm endotracheal tube with the tip positioned above the cricothyroid membrane. Upper airway obstructions of 40%, 69%, and 80% were created. TLJV was performed through the cricothyroid membrane using a 13-gauge catheter with 100% oxygen, 45 psi, 15 breaths per minute, and 30% inspiratory time for 15 minutes at each upper airway obstruction. Data collected at baseline (no upper airway obstruction) and one-minute intervals included arterial blood pressures, continuous Paco 2 measurements, and PETco 2 at the TLJV catheter tip and above the level of obstruction. Arterial blood gases were obtained at 0 and 15 minutes. Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation, analysis of variance, and Tukey's multiple comparisons (significance, P Measurements and results: Baseline values for all variables did not significantly differ at the onset of each testing phase. Mean pH increased significantly from baseline during 69% upper airway obstruction (7.36 to 7.54, P P 2 decreased significantly from baseline during all upper airway obstructions: 40% upper airway obstruction (39.9 to 33.6 mm Hg, P P P 2 , PETco 2 , and pH differed significantly between each level of upper airway obstruction ( P 2 was significantly correlated with Paco 2 ( r = .84, P 2 . No signs of barotrauma were observed in any animal at any degree of upper airway obstruction. Conclusion: TLJV during partial upper airway obstruction in our model provided safe and adequate-to-supranormal minute ventilation. In fact, marked hypocapnia and alkalemia occurred at levels of 69% and 80% upper airway obstruction, thus dispelling concepts that TLJV may cause hypercapnia during partial upper airway obstruction. PETco 2 correlates well with Paco 2 and may be valuable for monitoring ventilation when using TLJV in the nonobstructed or partially obstructed upper airway.
Talc Pneumoconiosis: A Treated Case

The case of a young woman with pneumoconiosis due to chronic aerosol inhalation is reported. It was evident from both x-ray films and biopsy studies that the lung showed both granulomatous (early) and fibrotic (late) changes. The patient showed marked subjective as well as objective evidence of improvement after treatment with prednisone.
Acquisition-weighted stack of spirals for fast high-resolution three-dimensional ultra-short echo time MR imaging.

Ultra-short echo time (UTE) MRI requires both short excitation (∼0.5 ms) and short acquisition delay (<0.2 ms) to minimize T2-induced signal decay. These requirements currently lead to low acquisition efficiency when high resolution (<1 mm) is pursued. A novel pulse sequence, acquisition-weighted stack of spirals (AWSOS), is proposed here to acquire high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) UTE images with short scan time (∼72 s). The AWSOS sequence uses variable-duration slice encoding to minimize T2 decay, separates slice thickness from in-plane resolution to reduce the number of slice encodings, and uses spiral trajectories to accelerate in-plane data collections. T2- and off-resonance induced slice widening and image blurring were calculated from 1.5 to 7 Tesla (T) through point spread function. Computer simulations were performed to optimize spiral interleaves and readout times. Phantom scans and in vivo experiments on human heads were implemented on a clinical 1.5T scanner (Gmax = 40 mT/m, Smax = 150 T/m/s). Accounting for the limits on B1 maximum, specific absorption rate (SAR), and the lowered amplitude of slab-select gradient, a sinc radiofrequency (RF) pulse of 0.8ms duration and 1.5 cycles was found to produce a flat slab profile. High in-plane resolution (0.86 mm) images were obtained for the human head using echo time (TE) = 0.608 ms and total shots = 720 (30 slice-encodings × 24 spirals). Compared with long-TE (10 ms) images, the ultrashort-TE AWSOS images provided clear visualization of short-T2 tissues such as the nose cartilage, the eye optic nerve, and the brain meninges and parenchyma. Magn Reson Med 60:135–145, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Unconscious processing of unattended features in human visual cortex

Unconscious processing has been convincingly demonstrated for task-relevant feature dimensions. However, it is possible that the visual system is capable of more complex unconscious operations, extracting visual features even when they are unattended and task irrelevant. In the current study, we addressed this question by measuring unconscious priming using a task in which human participants attended to a target object's shape while ignoring its color. We measured both behavioral priming effects and priming-related fMRI activations from primes that were unconsciously presented using metacontrast masking. The results showed faster RTs and decreases in fMRI activation only when the primes were identical to the targets, indicating that primes were processed both in the attended shape and the unattended color dimensions. Reductions in activation were observed in early visual areas, including primary visual cortex, as well as in feature-responsive areas for shape and color. These results indicate that multiple features can be unconsciously encoded and possibly bound using the same visual networks activated by consciously perceived images.
Establishment of uncharacterized plasmids in Escherichia coli by in vitro transposition.

We present a simple approach that permits any circular plasmid, such as uncharacterized plasmids from diverse prokaryotes, to be established in Escherichia coli, thereby facilitating subsequent structural and functional studies. An in vitro transposition reaction is used to introduce a well-characterized replicon and selectable marker into purified plasmids, which are then used to transform E. coli. The approach was demonstrated using a small 3.4-kb archaeal plasmid and a large 60-kb uncharacterized plasmid from a Gram-negative bacterium. Replicon function in E. coli was tested for each plasmid, and direct sequencing of the large plasmid revealed similarity to restriction-modification systems.
EVOLUTIONARY ALGORITHM FOR THE NEUTRINO FACTORY FRONT END DESIGN

The Neutrino Factory is an important tool in the long-term neutrino physics program. Substantial effort is put internationally into designing this facility in order to achieve desired performance within the allotted budget. This accelerator is a secondary beam machine: neutrinos are produced by means of the decay of muons. Muons, in turn, are produced by the decay of pions, produced by hitting the target by a beam of accelerated protons suitable for acceleration. Due to the physics of this process, extra conditioning of the pion beam coming from the target is needed in order to effectively perform subsequent acceleration. The subsystem of the Neutrino Factory that performs this conditioning is called Front End, its main performance characteristic is the number of the produced muons. Evolutionary Algorithms demonstrated themselves as a reliable and efficient tool for exploration, optimization and ultimately decision-making during the design process. In this work we describe the scenario for the Neutrino Factory Front End production optimization via the GATool Evolutionary Algorithm implemented in COSY Infinity and discuss the results of this optimization.
In ovo time-lapse analysis after dorsal neural tube ablation shows rerouting of chick hindbrain neural crest

Previous analyses of single neural crest cell trajectories have suggested important roles for interactions between neural crest cells and the environment, and amongst neural crest cells. To test the relative contribution of intrinsic versus extrinsic information in guiding cells to their appropriate sites, we ablated subpopulations of premigratory chick hindbrain neural crest and followed the remaining neural crest cells over time using a new in ovo imaging technique. Neural crest cell migratory behaviors are dramatically different in ablated compared with unoperated embryos. Deviations from normal migration appear either shortly after cells emerge from the neural tube or en route to the branchial arches, areas where cell-cell interactions typically occur between neural crest cells in normal embryos. Unlike the persistent, directed trajectories in normal embryos, neural crest cells frequently change direction and move somewhat chaotically after ablation. In addition, the migration of neural crest cells in collective chains, commonly observed in normal embryos, was severely disrupted. Hindbrain neural crest cells have the capacity to reroute their migratory pathways and thus compensate for missing neural crest cells after ablation of neighboring populations. Because the alterations in neural crest cell migration are most dramatic in regions that would normally foster cellcell interactions, the trajectories reported here argue that cell-cell interactions have a key role in the shaping of the neural crest migration. SUMMARY
The Gen-Ethics Bowl – an In-Class Activity Combining Genetics and Bioethics

Undergraduate science professors are capable of teaching the scientific principles behind new genetic technologies. However, they are not often readied to explore the ethical and social implications. We created an ethics bowl that brings together students in genetic and healthcare ethics courses to analyze ethical issues in genetics. It is an engaging, challenging, and rewarding experience that provides students with the tools to identify ethical elements in science. This proves to be a wonderful first step in training morally sensitive scientists.
Solution to the orthogonal M-channel bandlimited wavelet construction proposition

While bandlimited wavelets and associated IIR filters have shown serious potential in areas of pattern recognition and communications, the dyadic Meyer wavelet is the only known approach to construct bandlimited orthogonal decomposition. The sinc scaling function and wavelet are a special case of the Meyer. Previous works have proposed a M-Band extension of the Meyer wavelet without solving the problem. One key contribution of this paper is the derivation of the correct bandlimits for the scaling function and wavelets to guarantee an orthogonal basis. In addition, the actual construction of the wavelets based upon these bandlimits is developed. A composite wavelet is derived based on the M scale relationships from which we extract the wavelet functions. The proper solution to this task is proposed which generates associated filters with the knowledge of the scaling function and the constraints for M-band orthogonality.
The Rise and Fall of the Celtic Tiger: When Deal-Making Trumps Developmentalism

Over the last two decades, the Irish economy has experienced some of the most remarkable turnarounds in development history. Long one of the poorest countries of Western Europe, with a GDP p.c. of 62 % of the OECD average in 1990, Ireland closed and surpassed this income gap during the 1990s, giving rise to the Celtic Tiger. But by the late 2000s, the country was mired in deep economic crisis. Grounded in a capabilities-based approach, the analysis demonstrates the important role of proactive government policies in promoting social capabilities, advancing local firm capabilities, and supporting the movement of transnational corporations (TNCs) toward higher value-added activities in the host country. The analysis highlights that the presence of TNC production does not automatically translate into technology spillovers to local producers. It illustrates how some location- and time-specific contingencies contributed to successful economic outcomes while others made their achievement more difficult. And it shows how misguided microeconomic incentives and neglect of macroeconomic fundamentals can seriously derail an upgrading strategy and lead to economic crisis.
Tobacco Industry Efforts Undermining Evidence Linking Secondhand Smoke With Cardiovascular Disease

Background— The scientific consensus that secondhand smoke (SHS) increases cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk by 30% is based on epidemiological and biological evidence. The tobacco industry has contested this evidence that SHS causes CVD, but how and why they have done it has not been described. Methods and Results— About 50 million pages of tobacco industry documents were searched using general keywords and names of industry consultants and scientists. Tobacco industry–funded epidemiological analyses of large data sets were used to argue against an epidemiological association between SHS and CVD and smoke-free regulations, but these analyses all suffered from exposure misclassification problems that biased the results toward the null. More recent industry-funded publications report an increased risk of CVD associated with SHS but claim a low magnitude of risk. When early tobacco industry–funded work demonstrated that SHS increased atherosclerosis, the industry criticized the findings and withdrew funding...
MHz repetition rate solid-state driver for high current induction accelerators

A research team from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Bechtel Nevada Corporation is developing an all solid-state power source for high-current induction accelerators. The original power system design, developed for heavy-ion fusion accelerators, is based on the simple idea of using an array of field effect transistors (FETs) to switch energy from a pre-charged capacitor bank to an induction accelerator cell. Recently, that idea has been expanded to accommodate the greater power needs of a new class of high-current electron accelerators for advanced radiography. For this purpose, we developed a 3-stage induction adder that uses over 4000 field effect transistors to switch peak voltages of 45 kV at currents up to 4.8 kA, with pulse repetition rates of up to 2 MHz. This radically advanced power system can generate a burst of five or more pulses that vary from 200 ns to 2 /spl mu/s at a duty cycle of up to 25%. Our new source is precise, robust, flexible, and exceeds all previous drivers for induction machines by a factor of 400 in repetition rate and a factor of 1000 in duty cycle.
Keynote paper: measuring the value of online communities, leading to innovation and learning

Knowledge management is an emerging area for industry and government. Knowledge management deals with how best to leverage knowledge internally and externally. One of the key components of most knowledge management strategies is to use online communities. These web-based communities should lead to a strong sense of belonging, improved people-to-people connections and, ultimately, innovation and learning. An important question that surfaces at some point in the life of these online communities is how to measure their value to the organisation. This paper will address the work in this area and will suggest a methodology to follow.
Plants as a Habitat for Beneficial and/or Human Pathogenic Bacteria

Non-plant pathogenic endophytic bacteria can promote plant growth, improve nitrogen nutrition, and, in some cases, are human pathogens. Recent work in several laboratories has shown that enteric bacteria are common inhabitants of the interior of plants. These observations led to the experiments that showed the entry into plants of enteric human pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7. The extent of endophytic colonization by strains is regulated by plant defenses and several genetic determinants necessary for this interior colonization in endophytic bacteria have been identified. The genomes of four endophytic bacteria now available should promote discovery of other genes that contribute to this phenotype. Common virulence factors in plant and animal pathogens have also been described in bacteria that can infect both plant and animal models. Future directions in all of these areas are proposed.
The genomic response of the mouse kidney to low-phosphate diet is altered in X-linked hypophosphatemia

The mechanism for the renal adaptation to low-phosphate diets is not well understood. Whether the Hyp mutation of the Phex gene blocks this adaptation is also not clear. To gain further insight into this, 5-wk-old normal and Hyp mice were fed a control (1.0% P) or low-phosphate diet (0.03% P) for 3-5 days. Renal RNA was hybridized to Affymetrix U74Av2 microarrays (5 arrays/group). Of the 5,719 detectable genes on each array, 290 responded significantly (P < 0.01) to low-phosphate diet in normal mice. This was reduced significantly (P < 0.001) to 7 in the Hyp mice. This suggested that the adaptations of the normal kidney to a low-phosphate environment were blocked by the Hyp mutation. The Npt2 phosphate transporter, vitamin D 1alpha- and 24-hydroxylases, and calbindins D9K and D28K responded in the expected fashion. Genes with significant (P < 0.05) diet-by-genotype interaction were analyzed by GenMAPP and MAPPFinder. This revealed a cluster of differentially expressed genes associated with microtubule-based processes. Most alpha- and beta-tubulins and most kinesins had responses to low-phosphate diet in normal mice which were abolished or reversed in Hyp mice. In summary, renal adaptation to low-phosphate diet involved changes in the mRNA expression of specific genes. Disruption of these responses in Hyp mice may contribute to their abnormal phosphate homeostasis.
Pest Sequences in Proteins Involved in Cyclic Nucleotide Signalling Pathways

There is growing evidence that PEST sequences act as proteolytic recognition signals within polypeptides. PEST sequences are rich in proline (P), glutamic acid (E), serine (S), and threonine (T) and can be identified by the PEST-FIND program. Both the catalytic and regulatory subunits of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase have been shown to have conditional PEST sequences which are exposed upon cAMP binding to the enzyme. cAMP binding leads to rapid dissociation of C- and R-subunits, and both subunits have increased sensitivity to proteolysis. It is not known whether other proteins that participate in the cyclic nucleotide signalling pathway have PEST regions in their amino acid sequences. Therefore, we have screened amino acid sequences of proteins that are directly involved in cyclic nucleotide cascade, including cGMP-dependent protein kinases, anchoring proteins for cAMP-dependent protein kinase, cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels, and cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases, for PEST sequences using the PEST-FIND program. Many PEST sequences with high scores have been identified in these proteins. The occurrence of the PEST sequences is very high in proteins involved in cyclic nucleotide signalling pathways (approximately 80%). This value is much higher than the percentage (10%) of PEST sequences that can be found in the primary structures of the proteins listed in the data bank. This frequent occurrence of PEST sequences in proteins involved in cyclic nucleotide action and metabolism suggests an important role of proteolysis of these key proteins of signal transduction.
A note on Morita equivalence of twisted *-dynamical systems

We present an elementary proof that every twisted C*-dynamical system is Morita equivalent to an ordinary system. As a corollary we prove the equivalence CO(G/H, A) x&, 4 G A xa , u H for Busby-Smith twisted dynamical systems, generalizing an important result of Green. It is essentially the content of a recent theorem of Echterhoff [5, Theorem 1] that every twisted dynamical system is Morita equivalent to an ordinary system. By avoiding Green's imprimitivity theorem [6, Corollary 5] and appealing directly to the stabilization trick [8, Theorem 3.4] of Packer and Raeburn, we provide an elementary proof of this fact, at the same time generalizing it (in the separable case) to Busby-Smith twisted systems. Thus our main theorem provides a way of lifting much of the theory for ordinary and Green-twisted systems to the more general systems. As an example of its utility, we prove an analog of Green's important equivalence C*(G, Co(G/H, A); t) C*(H, A, T) [6] for Busby-Smith twisted systems. This, in turn, will form the basis for a process of inducing representations, an imprimitivity theorem, and ultimately a version of the Mackey-Green machine for these twisted systems.
Test simulation of neutron damage to electronic components using accelerator facilities

Abstract The purpose of this work is to demonstrate equivalent bipolar transistor damage response to neutrons and silicon ions. We report on irradiation tests performed at the White Sands Missile Range Fast Burst Reactor, the Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Annular Core Research Reactor, the SNL SPHINX accelerator, and the SNL Ion Beam Laboratory using commercial silicon npn bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) and III–V Npn heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs). Late time and early time gain metrics as well as defect spectra measurements are reported.
New Management Strategies in Heart Failure

Despite >100 clinical trials, only 2 new drugs had been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of chronic heart failure in more than a decade: the aldosterone antagonist eplerenone in 2003 and a fixed dose combination of hydralazine-isosorbide dinitrate in 2005. In contrast, 2015 has witnessed the Food and Drug Administration approval of 2 new drugs, both for the treatment of chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: ivabradine and another combination drug, sacubitril/valsartan or LCZ696. Seemingly overnight, a range of therapeutic possibilities, evoking new physiological mechanisms, promise great hope for a disease that often carries a prognosis worse than many forms of cancer. Importantly, the newly available therapies represent a culmination of basic and translational research that actually spans many decades. This review will summarize newer drugs currently being used in the treatment of heart failure, as well as newer strategies increasingly explored for their utility during the stages of the heart failure syndrome.
Probing Interactions between Individual Carbon Nanotubes by Rayleigh Scattering Spectroscopy

Optical transitions of individual single-walled carbon nanotubes are measured in their isolated and bundled forms. The observed inter-tube coupling effects attributed to dielectric screening.
Interpreting Socialism with the Chinese Characteristics from the Context of the World Historical Socialism

The World historical character of socialism proposed by Carl Marx,outstandingly emphasized the important function of widespread development of the productivity and communication in exterminating the narrow racial regions,and elucidated the realization of socialism is a dialectical process from the racial regions to the world history.He also pointed out that the crossing-over of the "capitalism canyon" and the race special features 'socialism is the necessary stage and common phenomenon in the process.This provides the reasonable theory basis for how to define and explain the historical status of socialism with the Chinese characteristics and how to construct it in China.
Dietary and medical management of recurrent nephrolithiasis

Dietary approaches and medical treatment can prevent recurrence of urinary stones. Some interventions are appropriate for all types of stones, but there are particular risk factors that may need directed therapy.
Collecting systematic, introspective reports of pharmacological effects and side-effects

The study of subjective, first-person experience is a topic with both philosophical and practical implications. In this article, I discuss the value of collecting a critical mass of prose or verbal descriptions of introspectively determined, subjective effects of pharmacological agents. I suggest that datasets of introspective reports fit in the modern research landscape at the intersection of biomedical informatics and the emerging discipline of contemplative neuroscience. I compare the current proposal to Descriptive Experience Sampling (DES), discuss relevant methodological and conceptual issues in the study of introspection, and provide a list of questions for directing future investigation.
An Experimental and Numerical Study on Embedded Rebar Diameter in Concrete Using Ground Penetrating Radar

High frequency ground penetrating radar (GPR) has been widely used to detect and locate rebars in concrete. In this paper, a method of estimating the diameter of steel rebars in concrete with GPR is investigated. The relationship between the maximum normalized positive GPR amplitude from embedded rebars and the rebar diameter was established. Concrete samples with rebars of different diameters were cast and the maximum normalized amplitudes were recorded using a 2.6 GHz GPR antenna. Numerical models using GPRMAX software were developed and verified with the experimental data. The numerical models were then used to investigate the effect of dielectric constant of concrete and concrete cover on the maximum normalized amplitude. The results showed that there is an approximate linear relationship between the rebar diameter and the maximum GPR normalized amplitude. The developed models can be conveniently used to estimate the embedded rebar diameters in existing concrete with GPR scanning; if the concrete is homogeneous, the cover depth is known and the concrete dielectric constant is also known. The models will be highly beneficial in forensic investigations of existing concrete structures with unknown rebar sizes and locations.
Performance analysis of crystalline silicon and amorphous silicon photovoltaic systems in Iowa: 2011 to 2014

Iowa City is in the humid continental climate zone and the goal of this paper is to provide a thorough system performance analysis for PV systems installed in this climate zone. In this work we present the performance analysis of two photovoltaic (PV) systems installed at The University of Iowa in mid-2011. We analyze the system performance from mid-2011 to 2014. First system is a 39 kW-DC building-integrated amorphous silicon (a-Si) PV array. Second system is a 48.1 kW-DC solar charging station based on multicrystalline modules. We use National Renewable Energy Laboratory's System Advisor Model for the PV system performance analysis of the two systems and results of simulation are compared to measured energy yield. In addition, we compare PV system performance with the Iowa Energy Center Solar Calculator (IEC-SC) model for the mc-Si PV system. Our analysis indicates that the SAM model, with correct modeling parameters results in ±20% error relative to measured data whereas the IEC-SC model almost always over estimates the energy yield.
Morality in Government and Politics

Philosophers like to go about their work in an Olympian, detached, and coolly analytical spirit. They can take little professional comfort in dealing with issues that are hotbeds of emotion and acrimony on the current scene of political controversy. Moreover, philosophers like their problems to be subtle and intricately wrought, calling for a delicate fusion of competing considerations. They are at home when critical intelligence is called for in laying bare the theoretical complexities of finely balanced controversies. Nothing could be further from this favored terrain than the issue of morality and ethics in government and politics. Here, only one side of the question seems to present a live option. Like clean air or good food, morality in public life is hard to be against.
Communal Violence in the British Empire: Disturbing the Pax: Doyle, Mark, London: Bloomsbury Academic 283 pp., $122.00, ISBN 978-1-4742-6825-7 Publication Date: August 2016

Mark Doyle, who is an associate professor of history at Middle Tennessee State University, presents four case studies of communal violence in the nineteenth-century British Empire to support his th...
Burning wood pellets for US electricity generation? A regime switching analysis

Abstract Applying a regime switching model under the theoretic framework of real options, we inspect the optimal timing boundaries for coal and coal mixed wood pellets as two alternative fuels for a power plant in Georgia, United States. Results indicate that cofiring wood pellets with coal is generally not a commercially viable option. However, lower-level (with wood pellets
Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in the community: a scoping review

Carbapenem antibiotics are used as a last resort to treat serious Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) infections; however, carbapenemase-producing strains of GNB have emerged as a major source of resistance. Owing to the highly transmissible nature of plasmid-borne carbapenemases, numerous reports have warned about the likely spread into the community from healthcare settings. Since the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in the community is largely unknown, we conducted a scoping review of the literature to assess the percentage of CRE isolates that could be associated with the community. Initially, 361 studies were assessed and 15 met the inclusion criteria. Although 5 studies (33.3%) found no community-associated CRE, the remaining 10 studies identified percentages ranging from 0.04% to 29.5% of either community-associated or community-onset CRE among their samples, with US-based studies alone ranging from 5.6 to 10.8%. The presence of CRE in the community poses an urgent public health threat.
Development of fireside performance indices for coal-fired utility boilers

A series of eight fireside performance indices have been developed for pulverized coal-fired utility boiler systems. The indices are calculated to predict slagging, high-temperature fouling, low-temperature fouling, slag tapping ability, opacity, tube erosion, coal grindability, and sootblower necessity. The indices are most useful for screening new fuels or fuel blends for pulverized coal-fired systems. Coal data input required to calculate the indices includes proximate/ultimate analysis results, elemental oxide coal ash chemistry, coal mineral quantities, and juxtaposition as derived using computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy and quantities, of organically bound or submicron mineral components as determined by chemical fractionation analysis. Limited boiler inputs are also required, such as boiler type, power-generating capacity, percentage of load, gas velocities, type of particulate control, and basic furnace dimensions. The indices were formulated primarily by combining inorganic transformation and ash deposition theory with empirical correlations derived from bench-, pilot-, and full-scale combustion tests. The ash deposition and opacity indices have been validated at several full-scale utility boilers.
Controversies and advances in the management of ventilator associated pneumonia.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Although national surveillance data suggests that the incidence of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is down-trending, it remains one of the most commonly encountered hospital acquired infections in the United States and worldwide. Its association with increased healthcare costs and worsened patient outcomes warrants continued effort to improve the care of patients with VAP.Areas covered: The increasing prevalence of multi-drug resistant bacteria further drives the need to explore advances in diagnostic and treatment options. In this review, controversies pertaining to the definition and diagnosis of VAP as well as empiric treatment strategies will be discussed along with several developments related to rapid microbiologic testing methods and the use of non-traditional antimicrobial agents.Expert commentary: The application of rapid diagnostic techniques to identify microbial pathogens is perhaps one of the most impactful advancements in the treatment of serious nosocomial infect...
Automatic synthesis of detailed designs from early-stage conceptual designs

This paper introduces a semi-automated approach to the creation of a detailed design model from an early stage conceptual design, including details of the major software components for such a system, the requirements placed on all participating simulation tools, as well as a formalized process for managing the data in an automated way. The proposed method is compatible with industry-standard simulation tools, so long as they provide the required or a complementary application-programming interface. The example system that is described uses common simulation tools for the development of the detailed system models. Certain steps in the process are not fully automated, and in these cases, we identify the missing software functionality that is required of the simulation tools and propose a formalized approach for handling these situations.