cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Economics of Organizational Architecture

Drawing on the work of Michael Jensen and William Meckling, the co‐formulators of “agency cost theory,” the authors argue that there are two main challenges in designing the structure of organizations: (1) the “rights assignment” problem—that is, ensuring that decision‐making authority is vested in managers and employees with the “specific knowledge” necessary to make the best decisions; and (2) the “control” or “agency” problem—designing performance‐evaluation and reward systems that give decision‐makers strong incentives to exercise their decision rights in ways that increase the long‐run value of the organization. The authors provide a number of instructive applications and extensions of the Jensen‐Meckling organizational framework. Using a series of short case studies that range from the Barings Brothers' debacle in the early 1990s and the decade‐long restructuring of ITT to the cases of McDonald's and Century 21, the authors demonstrate the importance of designing performance‐measurement and reward systems that are consistent with the assignment of decision rights. In so doing, the authors also work to dispel the widespread notion, popular among advocates of Total Quality Management, that the widespread use of performance measures and incentives undermines efforts to promote teamwork within large organizations. A number of brief case histories of companies like Xerox and Mary Kay Cosmetics are used to show the critical role of performance measurement and individual rewards in reinforcing a quality‐centered corporate culture. As the authors conclude, “It is a mistake to think of the ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ aspects of organizations as mutually exclusive or even as competing.”
On the Synthesis of 6-Methoxy-2-benzoxazolinone

6-Methoxy-2-benzoxazolinone has been synthesized by a simplified, improved procedure, the formation and reduction of 5-methoxy-2-nitrophenol and subsequent fusion of the corresponding amine hydrochloride with urea. In related work, 4-methoxy-2-(methoxymethoxy)-nitrobenzene was prepared.
Using Diverse Data to Develop and Sustain School, Family and Community Partnerships: A District Case Study

This article reports findings from a case study of district leadership for school, family and community partnerships in a suburban district in the mid-Atlantic region of the USA. Analyses suggest that the case district's family and community involvement specialist has been successful in using different kinds of data to achieve a variety of goals that are linked to program growth, improvement, and sustainability. Analyses further suggest that the district specialist has successfully facilitated the collection and use of data among school-based teams for school, family and community partnerships. Her efforts highlight an important district leadership function in an increasingly data-driven educational reform environment.
Commensal and Free-Living Species of Pontocypria Müller, 1894 (Ostracoda, Pontocyprididae) From the Indian and Southern Oceans

[Pontocypria helenae sp. n. (Pontocyprididae, Ostracoda), est le premier Podocopide marin commensal et le premier Cypridaceen commensal. Elle se sert du croc terminal characteristique de l'antenne pour s'accrocher a la base des bras de trois especes d'etoiles de mer (Astropectinidae, Asteroidea) antarctiques. Pontocypria humesi sp. n., est signalee comme vivant libre sur une eponge a Nosy Be, Madagascar. Aglaia (?) meridionalis Brady 1880, doit etre rattachee a Pontocypria comme combinaison nouvelle. L'ontogenie et l'homologie du croc et des soies de l'antenne sont decrites et comparees avec celles de Propontocypris., Pontocypria helenae sp. n. (Pontocyprididae, Ostracoda), est le premier Podocopide marin commensal et le premier Cypridaceen commensal. Elle se sert du croc terminal characteristique de l'antenne pour s'accrocher a la base des bras de trois especes d'etoiles de mer (Astropectinidae, Asteroidea) antarctiques. Pontocypria humesi sp. n., est signalee comme vivant libre sur une eponge a Nosy Be, Madagascar. Aglaia (?) meridionalis Brady 1880, doit etre rattachee a Pontocypria comme combinaison nouvelle. L'ontogenie et l'homologie du croc et des soies de l'antenne sont decrites et comparees avec celles de Propontocypris.]
Effects of organophosphates and nerve growth factor on muscarinic receptor binding number in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells.

Abstract Muscarinic receptor binding in PC12 cells is influenced by both nerve growth factor (NGF) and organophosphates. Treatment of PC12 cells with a single dose of NGF (50 ng, 7S NGF/ml) increased [3H]N-methylscopolamine ([3H]-NMS) binding sites approximately two-fold at 48 hr but did not change the Kd for this ligand. Exposure of PC12 cells to soman, 50 μ m , decreased [3H]-NMS binding in both undifferentiated and NGF-treated cells; however, decreases in muscarinic binding induced by the organophosphate were only minimal after the first hour after treatment and were maximal at about 24 hr. Other organophosphates including sarin, tabun, and VX as well as the carbamate, pyridostigmine, also reduced [3H]-NMS binding in PC12 cells measured 24–48 hr after treatment. The order of potency of organophosphates in lowering [3H]-NMS binding was soman > sarin > VX > tabun > DFP. High amounts of VX (200 μ m ) but not the other organophosphates inhibited [3H]-NMS binding when added to cells during the course of binding assays. Decreases in muscarinic receptor binding induced by the organophosphates differed markedly from that produced by carbamylcholine, which decreased [3H]-NMS binding maximally 30 min after addition to the cells. Decreases in [3H]-NMS binding produced by carbamylcholine were antagonized by atropine, but reductions in muscarinic binding produced by the organophosphates were not reversed by atropine. Thus, decreases in muscarinic receptor binding induced in PC12 cells by organophosphates occur via a novel mechanism that does not involve agonist-induced receptor desensitization.
Instructional conditions and stereotyped behavior: The function of prompts

The relationship of instructional prompts to rate of task completion and stereotypy was studied in one adolescent student with autism and high-frequency stereotypic behavior. Using an ABAB design, one experiment was conducted which systematically examined the role of prompts on (a) task completion and (b) time engaged in stereotyped behavior. Results suggested that prompts had little effect on the rate of task completion across sessions but did reduce time spent in stereotypies. These results are discussed in relation to stereotypies and implications for intervention and instruction.
Theoretical principles underlying optical stimulation of a channelrhodopsin-2 positive pyramidal neuron.

Optogenetics is an emerging field of neuromodulation that permits scaled, millisecond temporal control of the membrane dynamics of genetically targeted cells using light. Optogenetic technology has revolutionized neuroscience research; however, numerous biophysical questions remain on the optical and neuronal factors impacting the modulation of neural activity with photon-sensitive ion channels. To begin to address such questions, we developed a computational tool to explore the underlying principles of optogenetic neural stimulation. This “light-neuron” model consists of theoretical representations of the light dynamics generated by a fiber optic in brain tissue, coupled to a multicompartment cable model of a cortical pyramidal neuron embedded with channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) membrane dynamics. Simulations revealed that the large energies required to generate an action potential are primarily due to the limited conductivity of ChR2, and that the major determinants of stimulation threshold are the surface area of illuminated cell membrane and proximity to the light source. Our results predict that the activation threshold is sensitive to many of the properties of ChR2 (density, conductivity, and kinetics), tissue medium (scattering and absorbance), and the fiber-optic light source (diameter and numerical aperture). We also illustrate the impact of redistributing the ChR2 expression density (uniform vs. nonuniform) on the activation threshold. The model system developed in this study represents a scientific instrument to characterize the effects of optogenetic neuromodulation, as well as an engineering design tool to help guide future development of optogenetic technology.
Dissecting follicular lymphoma: high versus low risk

Progress in the management of follicular lymphoma (FL) has translated to improved outcomes, with most patients surviving a decade or more from the time of diagnosis. However, the disease remains quite heterogeneous and a substantial number of patients have more aggressive disease with short responses to therapy and/or transformation to higher-grade lymphomas. Given the lack of a single standard approach, it is important to understand sources of heterogeneity among patients that influence initial management, surveillance strategies, and overall prognosis. Most of the validated tools, such as the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) and FLIPI-2, apply to the frontline setting, and there is an unmet need for prognostic tools in relapsed and refractory disease states. In particular, the number of prior treatment regimens may be less important than the duration of response to the most recent regimen and the type of prior therapy received. Furthermore, despite awareness of progressive genetic and epigenetic derangements and a growing appreciation of the microenvironment's role in FL outcomes, there is no validated means of incorporating biologic data into clinical prognostic indices. This review highlights the current state of knowledge regarding risk stratification in FL.
A microstrip line on a chiral substrate

Right and left circular vector potentials are developed and used in a spectral-domain solution for a microstrip transmission line on a chiral substrate. These vector potentials have properties similar to those of the usual magnetic and electric vector potentials, except that they result in circular rather than linearly polarized fields, thereby simplifying field expansions in chiral media. The chiral microstrip line does not have bifurcated modes like other chiral guided wave structures; however, the chiral substrate causes a significant asymmetry in both the fields and currents. >
Artificial neural network for ECG arrhythmia monitoring

The application of a multilayer perceptron artificial neural network model to detect the QRS complex in the electrocardiographic (ECG) signal processing is presented. The objective is to improve the heart beat detection rate under the presence of severe background noise. An adaptively tuned multi-layer perceptron structure is used to model the nonlinear, time varying background noise. The noise is removed by subtracting the predicted noise from the original signal. Preliminary experiment results indicate that the artificial neural network (ANN)-based approach consistently out-performs the conventional bandpass filtering approach and the linear adaptive filtering approach. Such performance enhancement is critical in the development of a practical automated online ECG arrhythmia monitoring system. >
‘N-in-one’ strategy for metabolite identification using a liquid chromatography/hybrid triple quadrupole linear ion trap instrument using multiple dependent product ion scans triggered with full mass scan

This paper describes a new strategy that utilizes the fast trap mode scan of the hybrid triple quadrupole linear ion trap (QqQLIT) for the identification of drug metabolites. The strategy uses information-dependent acquisition (IDA) where the enhanced mass scan (EMS), the trap mode full scan, was used as the survey scan to trigger multiple dependent enhanced product ion scans (EPI), the trap mode product ion scans. The single data file collected with this approach not only includes full scan data (the survey), but also product ion spectra rich in structural information. By extracting characteristic product ions from the dependent EPI chromatograms, we can provide nearly complete information for in vitro metabolites that otherwise would have to be obtained by multiple precursor ion scan (prec) and constant neutral loss (NL) analysis. This approach effectively overcomes the disadvantages of traditional prec and NL scans, namely the slow quadrupole scan speed, and possible mass shift. Using nefazodone (NEF) as the model compound, we demonstrated the effectiveness of this strategy by identifying 22 phase I metabolites in a single liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) run. In addition to the metabolites reported previously in the literature, seven new metabolites were identified and their chemical structures are proposed. The oxidative dechlorination biotransformation was also discovered which was not reported in previous literature for NEF. The strategy was further evaluated and worked well for the fast discovery setting when a ballistic gradient elution was used, as well as for a simulated in vivo setting when the incubated sample (phase I metabolites) was spiked to control human plasma extract and control human urine. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Case-Comparison Study of Hypertension and Hyperparathyroidism

The frequency of hypertension in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism has been compared with that found in cases matched for conditions of comparable surgical magnitude, age, race, sex, and days in the hospital. The mean blood pressure of the patients was 143/89 mm Hg, significantly higher than that of controls, which was 130/81 mm Hg (P less than 0.001 for systolic and diastolic pressures). The difference was especially notable in view of the fact that the mean weight of the controls was 169 lb compared to 153.9 lb for the patients. Actual hypertension, defined as a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or more and or treatment with hypertensive therapy was much more frequent in the patients (90 of 124; 73%) than in the controls (53 of 124; 43%; P less than 0.001). Serum creatinine was 1.3 mm/dl in patients and 1.1 mm/dl in controls. The blood pressure difference between patients and controls persisted when patients with creatinine levels of 2.0 mm/dl or less were omitted. The blood pressure difference between patients and controls had disappeared by the end of hospitalization. We conclude that primary hyperparathyroidism is associated with modest blood pressure elevation, that renal damage is probably not the mechanism, and that surgical cure perhaps may lower blood pressure. The mean effect of primary hyperparathyroidism is to shift the blood pressure distribution curve to the right by approximately 15/10 mm Hg.
Noniterative System Identification Applied to Wind Tunnel Valve Control

A noniterative system identification procedure is developed and applied to the air supply control valves of a wind tunnel. These control valves regulate the air flow through the wind tunnel and thereby determine the flight conditions being simulated. The position control system for these valves must be of high performance and should be maintained in a properly tuned condition.
Recursive algorithm for real-time measurement of electrical variables in power systems

In this paper, a novel complex bandpass filter is presented which overcomes the pitfalls of the techniques in common use. This complex bandpass filter can correctly extract the phasor of the fundamental component and symmetrical components in voltage or current waveforms and then accurately estimate their instantaneous amplitude, phase angle, and frequency, even encountering various power disturbances. Further, a recursive algorithm is also developed for the complex bandpass filtering that updates current filtering output only using several previous sample values and filtering outputs. This attribute greatly reduces the computational complexity of complex bandpass filtering, which is the weakness of the continuous wavelet transform based on the well-known Morlet Wavelet. Thus, this recursive algorithm is highly desirable for real-time applications. The performance of the proposed technique is ascertained by using both simulated and practical power disturbance waveforms.
Parental Advice: Given Perhaps, but Not Received

* Abbreviation: SIDS — : sudden infant death syndrome We all think we give good advice, and we think we do it well. We’ve mastered the anticipatory guidance section of the well-child or nursery visit. We have our formula: we cover the salient topics, throw in some personal experience, and assume our parental advice on child rearing has been received and understood. Unfortunately, as shown by Eisenberg et al1 in this issue of Pediatrics , we appear to be failing miserably. Mothers received correct advice from doctors about sleep position only 54% of the time and about sleep location only 19% of the time. Even if doctors gave correct advice more frequently than reported, information cannot protect infants if mothers do not hear, believe, and act on it. Why does this matter? Is our advice really that important? In the case of sleep position and location, it can be a matter of life or death. Every day in the United States, healthy … Address correspondence to Scott D. Krugman, MD, MS, Chairman, Department of Pediatrics, MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, 9000 Franklin Square Dr, Baltimore, MD 21237. E-mail: scott.krugman{at}medstar.net
“Walking on my page”: intimacy and insight in Len Howard's cottage of birds:

EnglishIn this article, I investigate naturalist and musicologist Len Howard's form of knowledge of bird life. Examining her presentations closely, I show that her methodology of intimate cohabitation with and observation of her subjects resulted in a unique documentary: a deeply personal and highly privileged understanding of wild birds. I approach Howard's focus on bird individuality through Martin Buber's lens of the reciprocity of I-and-Thou. I argue that intimacy with the birds of her garden yielded insights into their mindful world, delivering knowledge which pejorative characterizations of “anecdotal” and “anthropomorphic” fail to appreciate. I conclude by examining Howard's work in the context of the behavioral science of her day and by posing the question of whether her contribution is or is not science.FrenchDans cet article l'auteur analyse les formes de connaissance de la vie animale de la naturaliste et musicologue Len Howard. En examinant de tres pres son travail, l'auteur montre que sa meth...
NKX2-5, a modifier of skeletal muscle pathology due to RNA toxicity

RNA toxicity is implicated in a number of disorders; especially those associated with expanded repeat sequences, such as myotonic dystrophy (DM1). Previously, we have shown increased NKX2-5 expression in RNA toxicity associated with DM1. Here, we investigate the relationship between NKX2-5 expression and muscle pathology due to RNA toxicity. In skeletal muscle from mice with RNA toxicity and individuals with DM1, expression of Nkx2-5 or NKX2-5 and its downstream targets are significantly correlated with severity of histopathology. Using C2C12 myoblasts, we show that over-expression of NKX2-5 or mutant DMPK 3′UTR results in myogenic differentiation defects, which can be rescued by knockdown of Nkx2-5, despite continued toxic RNA expression. Furthermore, in a mouse model of NKX2-5 over-expression, we find defects in muscle regeneration after induced damage, similar to those seen in mice with RNA toxicity. Using mouse models of Nkx2-5 over-expression and depletion, we find that NKX2-5 levels modify disease phenotypes in mice with RNA toxicity.
Automated processing of raw DNA sequence data

Present-day DNA sequencing techniques have evolved considerably from their early beginnings. A modern sequencing project is essentially an assembly-line environment and is therefore improved and accelerated by the degree to which slow and error-prone manual steps can be replaced by reliable and accurate automatic ones. For hardware, this typically means expanding the use of robotics, for example, to execute the multitude of micro-volume fluid transfers that occur for each of the samples processed in a project. Likewise, automated software replaces manual processing and analysis steps for samples wherever possible. In this article, we focus on one particular aspect of software: the automated handling of raw DNA data. Specifically, we discuss a number of critical software algorithms and components and how they have been woven into a framework for largely hands-off processing of Human Genome Project data at the Genome Sequencing Center. These data represent about 25% of the total public human sequencing project.
Rape Survivors' Experiences With the Legal and Medical Systems Do Rape Victim Advocates Make a Difference?

This study used a naturalistic quasi-experimental design to examine whether rape survivors who had the assistance of rape victim advocates had more positive experiences with the legal and medical systems compared to those who did not work with advocates. Eighty-one survivors were interviewed in two urban hospitals about what services they received from legal and medical system personnel and how they were treated during these interactions. Survivors who had the assistance of an advocate were significantly more likely to have police reports taken and were less likely to be treated negatively by police officers. These women also reported less distress after their contact with the legal system. Similarly, survivors who worked with an advocate during their emergency department care received more medical services, including emergency contraception and sexually transmitted disease prophylaxis, reported significantly fewer negative interpersonal interactions with medical system personnel, and reported less distress from their medical contact experiences.
Communication Skills in Girls With Rett Syndrome

Rett Syndrome (RS) is an X-linked, neurodevelopmental disorder that occurs primarily in females and causes significant impairment in cognition, motor control, and communication. Teachers and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) encounter girls with RS with increasing frequency as awareness of the disorder increases, yet the literature on clinical interventions with this population is limited. Parents, teachers, and SLPs were surveyed regarding the communication abilities of these girls. Respondents reported that girls with RS use multiple modalities to communicate, with eye gaze the most frequently used modality, followed by picture/symbol systems and body movements. This study provides clinical information for professionals working with girls with RS, and supports the need for additional research on strategies to improve communication in RS.
MDA-5 Recognition of a Murine Norovirus

Noroviruses are important human pathogens responsible for most cases of viral epidemic gastroenteritis worldwide. Murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1) is one of several murine noroviruses isolated from research mouse facilities and has been used as a model of human norovirus infection. MNV-1 infection has been shown to require components of innate and adaptive immunity for clearance; however, the initial host protein that recognizes MNV-1 infection is unknown. Because noroviruses are RNA viruses, we investigated whether MDA5 and TLR3, cellular sensors that recognize dsRNA, are important for the host response to MNV-1. We demonstrate that MDA5−/− dendritic cells(DC) have a defect in cytokine response to MNV-1. In addition, MNV-1 replicates to higher levels in MDA5−/− DCs as well as in MDA5−/− mice in vivo. Interestingly, TLR3−/− DCs do not have a defect in vitro, but TLR3−/− mice have a slight increase in viral titers. This is the first demonstration of an innate immune sensor for norovirus and shows that MDA5 is required for the control of MNV-1 infection. Knowledge of the host response to MNV-1 may provide keys for prevention and treatment of the human disease.
Measuring the mixing time of social graphs

Social networks provide interesting algorithmic properties that can be used to bootstrap the security of distributed systems. For example, it is widely believed that social networks are fast mixing, and many recently proposed designs of such systems make crucial use of this property. However, whether real-world social networks are really fast mixing is not verified before, and this could potentially affect the performance of such systems based on the fast mixing property. To address this problem, we measure the mixing time of several social graphs, the time that it takes a random walk on the graph to approach the stationary distribution of that graph, using two techniques. First, we use the second largest eigenvalue modulus which bounds the mixing time. Second, we sample initial distributions and compute the random walk length required to achieve probability distributions close to the stationary distribution. Our findings show that the mixing time of social graphs is much larger than anticipated, and being used in literature, and this implies that either the current security systems based on fast mixing have weaker utility guarantees or have to be less efficient, with less security guarantees, in order to compensate for the slower mixing.
Efficient Synthesis of Halomethyl‐2,2′‐Bipyridines: 4,4′‐Bis(Chloromethyl)‐2,2′‐Bipyridine

4, 4′-Bis(chloromethyl)2, 2′-bipyridine R 4, 4′-Dimethyl-2, 2′-bipyridine I 4, 4′-Bis[trimethylsilyl) methyl]-2, 2′ bepyridine P 4, 4′-Bis[chloromethyl)2, 2′-bipyridine Keywords: heterocycles, six-membered, one nitrogen; organometallic compounds, silicon; metalation reactions, silicon; replacement reactions, miscellaneous; heterocycles, six-membered, one nitrogen; halogen compounds, chloro compounds; methylpyridines, selective monohalogenation
The Use of Migraine Preventive Medications Among Patients with and without Migraine Headaches

The aim was to describe the use of and adherence to migraine preventives among insured patients meeting the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 2nd edn (ICHD-II) criteria for migraine headaches. A retrospective, case–control study was conducted using data from a telephone interview linked with health insurance claims data. Subjects were health plan enrollees aged 18–55 years who had incurred at least one encounter between June 2000 and November 2001. Interview responses were used to identify cases meeting the ICHD-II criteria for strict and probable migraine and a random sample of controls. Pharmacy claims data were used to construct measures of use and adherence. Differences in outcomes by adherence status were evaluated using generalized linear models. We identified 2517 cases and 941 controls. Among cases, the prevalence of antidepressant use was 4%, anticonvulsant use was 1.9%, antihypertensive use was 8.9%. Combined use was 13.4% among cases and did not differ significantly from that ...
Electron-Electron Correlation in Highly Charged Atoms

The relativistic random-phase approximation (RRPA) is introduced to account for electron-electron correlation in atoms and ions of high nuclear charge where non-relativistic many-body methods are inadequate. To provide a basis for this study of the RRPA, the Dirac-Fock (DF) theory is reviewed. Applications of the DF equations to determine inner-electron binding energies in heavy atoms are given illustrating the influence of relativistic effects in situations where correlations are unimportant. The RRPA equations are derived as natural generalizations of the DF equations. Examples of RRPA calculations of discrete excitations and of photoionization are given illustrating situations where both relativistic and correlation effects play important roles.
Adaptive Inference for Distinguishing Credible from Incredible Patterns in Nature

Strong inference is a powerful and rapid tool that can be used to identify and explain patterns in molecular biology, cell biology, and physiology. It is effective where causes are single and separable and where discrimination between pairwise alternative hypotheses can be determined experimentally by a simple yes or no answer. But causes in ecological systems are multiple and overlapping and are not entirely separable. Frequently, competing hypotheses cannot be distinguished by a single unambiguous test, but only by a suite of tests of different kinds, that produce a body of evidence to support one line of argument and not others. We call this process “adaptive inference”. Instead of pitting each member of a pair of hypotheses against each other, adaptive inference relies on the exuberant invention of multiple, competing hypotheses, after which carefully structured comparative data are used to explore the logical consequences of each. Herein we present an example that demonstrates the attributes of adaptive inference that have developed out of a 30-year study of the resilience of ecosys
A Cre-loxP solution for defining the brain renin-angiotensin system. Focus on "Targeted viral delivery of Cre recombinase induces conditional gene deletion in cardiovascular circuits of the mouse brain".

unlocking the mystery of the brain renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and its role in cardiovascular physiology has been a theme for state-of-the-art research for 30 years. Each time a new, more precise tool becomes available, the problem is revisited. In this release of Physiological Genomics ,
CAN THIS MARRIAGE BE SAVED : IS AN ENGLISH DEPARTMENT A GOOD HOME FOR TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION?

In partial answer to the many questions that have been raised about the definition and location of technical writing programs, a random sample of full-time teachers of professional writing was conducted. The results indicate that those located in English departments do not receive the respect and support they need. Those located in other departments are significantly more satisfied. Some strategies for improving the situation are suggested.
An Exploratory Study of Mainstreamed Seventh Graders' Perceptions of an Inclusive Approach to Instruction.

We conducted a case study of 11 seventhgrade students with mild disabilities who were included in a general language arts classroom. We interviewed students, administered individual reading inventories, and observed lessons. Based on this information, we generated student profiles that provided a framework for planning a unit on the novel the outsiders. During the teaching of the novel, we served as participant observers. At the end of the semester, we administered a reading assessment and conducted follow-up interviews. Results indicated that all 11 students were more engaged in classroom activities during the unit, and 8 of the 11 demonstrated more consistent reading strategies. Results underscore the complexity of inclusion and suggest that some of these students may need more intensive, one-on-one intervention.
Innovative Sugar–Insecticide Feeding Bioassay for Adult Female Anopheles gambiae (Diptera: Culicidae)

ABSTRACT The primary malaria vector in sub-Saharan Africa, Anopheles gambiae Giles (Diptera: Culicidae), is an anthropophagic and endophilic mosquito targeted for control with insecticides applied to interior resting surfaces and impregnated onto bed net materials. Effective malaria vector management involves monitoring the insecticide susceptibility of mosquito populations. Contemporary bioassays are based on mosquito contact with insecticide residues. We developed an innovative insecticide bioassay system that involves mosquito ingestion of a sugar-insecticide solution. The sucrose—permethrin solution in our bioassay system contained Trypan blue dye, creating a visual marker of insecticide ingestion in the mosquito's abdomen. Blue fecal spots deposited in the bioassay container provided further evidence of mosquito feeding. We used our bioassay to characterize the permethrin susceptibility of adult females of two strains of A. gambiae, one of which was susceptible and the other exhibited reduced suscept...
Molecular cytogenetic characterization of Thinopyrum genomes conferring perennial growth habit in wheat-Thinopyrum amphiploids

Seven wheat‐Thinopyrum amphiploids, AT 3425, AgCs, PI 550710, PI 550711, PI 550712, PI 550713 and PI 550714, were evaluated for perennial growth habit in the field. Three of them, AgCs, AT 3425, and PI 550713, were identified as perennials. Fluorescent genomic in situ hybridization (FGISH) patterns of mitotic chromosomes indicated that AgCs had seven pairs of Thinopyrum chromosomes and 21 pairs of wheat chromosomes. PI 550713 and AT 3425 showed similar FGISH patterns of mitotic chromosomes with three pairs of wheat‐ Thinopyrum translocated chromosomes, seven pairs of Thinopyrum chromosomes, and 18 pairs of wheat chromosomes. Thinopyrum chromosome pairing in the F1 hybrid of AT 3425 with AgCs demonstrated diAerences between Thinopyrum genomes in these two amphiploids. Based on chromosome constitutions, pairing and reported pedigrees, AgCs and AT 3425 were identified as a wheat‐ Thinopyrum elongatum amphiploid and partial wheat‐Thinopyrum ponticum amphiploid, respectively. Chromosome pairing in the F1 hybrid between AT 3425 and PI 550713 revealed that these two amphiploids contained the same Thinopyrum genome. Two diAerent Thinopyrum genomes conferring perennial growth habit were identified from the perennial amphiploids and characterized cytogenetically.
High aspect-ratio polysilicon micromachining technology

This paper presents a single wafer, all-silicon, high aspect-ratio multi-layer polysilicon micromachining technology that combines deep dry etching of silicon with conventional surface micromachining to realize tens to hundreds of microns thick, high aspect-ratio, electrically isolated polysilicon structures with sub-micron air-gaps. Vertical polysilicon sense electrodes as tall as the main body polysilicon structure can be realized in this technology. A 70-μm-tall, 2.5-μm-wide polysilicon vibrating ring gyroscope with 1.2 μm capacitive air-gaps and electrodes as tall as the ring structure has been fabricated using this technology. Vertical polysilicon beams that are 220 μm tall with a 100:1 aspect-ratio have been also fabricated. The all-silicon feature of such a technology improves long term stability and temperature sensitivity, while fabrication of large area, vertical pick-off electrodes with sub-micron gap spacing will increase the sensitivity of MEMS devices by orders of magnitude. This technology is also capable of simultaneously producing electrically isolated 2-D (planar) and 3-D (vertical) polysilicon structures on the same silicon substrate.
The Evolution of the Bacterial Luciferase Gene Cassette (lux) as a Real-Time Bioreporter

The bacterial luciferase gene cassette (lux) is unique among bioluminescent bioreporter systems due to its ability to synthesize and/or scavenge all of the substrate compounds required for its production of light. As a result, the lux system has the unique ability to autonomously produce a luminescent signal, either continuously or in response to the presence of a specific trigger, across a wide array of organismal hosts. While originally employed extensively as a bacterial bioreporter system for the detection of specific chemical signals in environmental samples, the use of lux as a bioreporter technology has continuously expanded over the last 30 years to include expression in eukaryotic cells such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and even human cell lines as well. Under these conditions, the lux system has been developed for use as a biomedical detection tool for toxicity screening and visualization of tumors in small animal models. As the technologies for lux signal detection continue to improve, it is poised to become one of the first fully implantable detection systems for intra-organismal optical detection through direct marriage to an implantable photon-detecting digital chip. This review presents the basic biochemical background that allows the lux system to continuously autobioluminesce and highlights the important milestones in the use of lux-based bioreporters as they have evolved from chemical detection platforms in prokaryotic bacteria to rodent-based tumorigenesis study targets. In addition, the future of lux imaging using integrated circuit microluminometry to image directly within a living host in real-time will be introduced and its role in the development of dose/response therapeutic systems will be highlighted.
Couples-based interventions following prostate cancer treatment: a narrative review.

Background: Sexual dysfunction following prostate cancer (PC) treatment often results in sexual avoidance and a loss of sexual intimacy, which can lead to relationship distress. This review aims to evaluate six studies intended to address relational and sexual intimacy following PC treatment and discuss methodological concerns which may help produce more effective interventions. Methods: Electronic databases used to conduct literature searches included Medline, PsychINFO, and Web of Science. Studies were included if they were: randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using samples of men diagnosed with PC of any stage, had a psychosocial intervention, and addressed at least one sexual and relational outcome. Results: As a whole, the literature has produced mixed results. While significant findings were reported, many of the primary hypotheses were not achieved. The six studies show that men with PC may benefit from education and support related to treatment options for erectile dysfunction (ED), whereas their partners may benefit more from interventions focused on relational issues. Important methodological limitations included: selection of general outcome measures as opposed to measures specific to sexuality or intimacy outcomes, lack of assessing distress or bother of the patient/couples as study entry criteria, heterogeneity of study populations, and lack of innovative intervention content as the current studies tested standard educational interventions, sex therapies techniques, and couples therapy strategies with only marginal success. Conclusions: Interventions based on innovative theoretical approaches as well as study designs that address the outlined methodological limitations are needed in this area.
Effects of Selective Salivary Gland Extirpation upon Experimental Dental Caries in the Rat.

ConclusionsDisturbance of normal salivary flow in the rat results in an increased incidence of experimental caries. The effect is most marked in rats with retained mucous saliva on a caries-producing diet and is in direct proportion to the amount of serous saliva removed. Caries production has even been observed in operated rats deprived of their serous saliva when fed a diet known to produce minimal dental destruction. The lower ratio of fracture to carious lesions in rats with such saliva indicates that the rate of development of carious lesions in these groups is very rapid.
Acute cellular rejection rates in living-donor and deceased-donor liver transplantation.

Background: Due to ongoing organ donor shortage, an increasing number of adult live-donor liver transplants (LDLT) are being performed. The aims of this study were to compare the incidence of ACR between recipients of live- and deceased-donor liver transplants, and to note any differences in ACR among related and unrelated living-donor recipients. Methods: Sixty-four adults undergoing LDLT between 1998-2001 were closely matched with a deceased recipient. Statistical comparisons in ACR between the live- and deceased-donor groups were based on the differences between the ACR rates of each LDLT patient and the corresponding matched deceased recipient. Analyses were performed separately for pairs in which the living donor was not related to the recipient, was a nonsibling relative, or was a sibling. Results: Live- and deceased-donor recipients underwent a similar number of liver biopsies. In all, 16/50 (32%) of the biopsied LDLT patients had ACR compared to 36/49 (73%) of the deceased-donor recipients. ACR rates of living donors and their deceased-donor matches did not differ significantly for the unrelated living donors, but did differ for the nonsibling related (P=0.03) and the sibling LDLT (P=0.03). The results were similar when comparing rates of high-degree ACR for unrelated, nonsibling related, and sibling pairs. High-degree ACR differences in the sibling LDLT group were significantly greater than in the nonsibling group (P=0.05). Conclusions: Rates of ACR and high-degree ACR are decreased in living-related liver transplant recipients. This difference is likely genetically related as ACR rates are lower in recipient-donor pairs of increasing genetic similarity.
Medical marijuana legalization and cigarette and marijuana co-use in adolescents and adults

Background Medical marijuana legalization is associated with a higher prevalence of marijuana use which may affect cigarette use and nicotine dependence in co-users. In the present study, we examined relationships between statewide legalization of medical marijuana and prevalence of cigarette and marijuana co-use and nicotine dependence in co-using adolescents and adults.
Ultrafast carrier dynamics in individual GaN/InGaN multiple quantum well nanowires

Individual nanowires consisting of a GaN core and a shell of multiple InGaN quantum wells were studied using ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy to determine the mechanisms and relaxation pathways through which excited carriers recombine.
Apparent Stability and Subtle Change in Surface and Subsurface Soil Carbon and Nitrogen under a Long-Term Fertilizer Gradient

Uncertainty exists regarding the depth and extent to which agricultural practices affect soil properties, in particular soil organic C (SOC). In this study we examined the impact of 53 yr of continuous corn (Zea mays L.) receiving varying rates of inorganic N fertilizer with complete stover return on soil properties including SOC, total N, and bulk density (BD) to a depth of 1 m. In the treatment receiving virtually no applied N there was a significant reduction in soil N content at 0 to 30 cm over the study period, while the treatment receiving N in excess of recommended application levels was similar to the treatment receiving recommended rates of N fertilizer. Trends in SOC content were similar to those for total N, but a significant treatment effect was detectable throughout the entire 1-m soil profile sampled. Over the course of the study, all experimental fields appeared to have lost approximately 6 cm of topsoil through erosion, with the lowest N rate plots subsiding a further 2 cm due to compaction. Despite using disruptive management practices (moldboard plowing and application of anhydrous ammonia), declines in soil C and N content were not apparent for this soil type under conditions of low slope and the linear gains in productivity realized under the two higher N rate treatments. Thus N fertilizer was a benefit to this cropping system, rather than a detriment, and was sufficient to allow maintenance—but not building—of SOC.
Pilot Testing a Digital Career Literacy Training for Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals

Digital career literacy encompasses the skills needed to find and maintain employment in the modern job market. Unfortunately, many state vocational rehabilitation (VR) professionals report feeling...
Landscape-scale regulators of water transparency in mountain lakes: implications of projected glacial loss

We examined factors regulating water transparency in a set of 33 lakes located in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Eighteen lakes had catchments that included glaciers and 15 did not. In each lake, we...
Postoperative wound infections: Risk factors and role of Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage

In the United States the rate of postoperative wound infection varies from one to nine per cent, depending on the surgical procedure. Each postoperative wound infection increases the length of stay in hospital, the cost of the procedure and is associated with significant morbidity. Staphylococcus aureus is the causative agent in 15 to 20% of these infections, although the pathogen isolated varies according to the surgical site. Risk factors for acquiring an infection can be divided into the following categories: host factors, surgical and environmental factors, and microbial characteristics. Host factors which may contribute to an increased risk of infection include: age, prolonged pre-operative length of stay, and concurrent infection at another body site. Increased infection risk may result from an extended surgical procedure, the wound classification, the use of a razor for hair removal before surgery and may also be dependent on the surgeon's technical skill. Microbial factors related to the risk of developing an infection postoperatively are less well defined, however, many outbreaks of surgical wound infections have been linked to personnel carrying an organism which is then transmitted to the patient. Furthermore, patients who carry intranasal S. aureus have a two-to ten-fold increased likelihood of developing a postoperative wound infection due to S. aureus. Identification of patients most at risk of developing an infection is the ultimate goal, however, risk indices must be highly sensitive, specific and accurate. To summarize, the epidemiology of postoperative wound infections remains poorly studied, however, since wound infections contribute significantly to morbidity, mortality and cost, future research is warranted.
Electron Transport in Transition-Metal and Rare-earth Oxides

Interpretation of transport properties begins with the construction of energy diagrams. Essential concepts required for this process are reviewed. In particular, it is indicated how electron correlations may induce spontaneous magnetism and localized atomic moments, suppression of superconductivity, mass or Stoner enhancement, and/or lattice instabilities. Transport of small carrier concentrations in nonmagnetic crystals is characterized by small-polaron formation, conventional itinerant behavior, or variable-range hopping, and in magnetic crystals by double or indirect exchange, band splitting below a Curie temperature, magnetic polarons, spin-disorder scattering, critical scattering, giant magnetoresistance, and/or strong mobility anisotropy. Compounds exhibiting these different processes are briefly discussed, and an indication of the systematics found in oxides is given.
EMI noise source modeling based on network theory for power converters with mixed-mode characterization

The paper proposes a generalized electromagnetic interference (EMI) noise source modeling technique based on network theory for switched-mode power supply. With three impedances and two noise sources, the developed noise source model not only characterizes the differential and common mode noises, but also suits for mixed-mode noise analysis. The novelty of the proposed technique is the inclusion of topology information of the power converter into consideration, which helps to check the model applicability, simplifies the parameter extraction process and brings physical meaning to the developed model. Moreover, to comply with the mixed-mode noise source model, a four-port network description is used to model the noise propagation paths. The corresponding EMI noise prediction process is provided as well. A boost converter prototype is used for validation of the model.