cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Towards a matrix mechanics framework for dynamic protein network.

Protein–protein interaction networks are currently visualized by software generated interaction webs based upon static experimental data. Current state is limited to static, mostly non-compartmental network and non time resolved protein interactions. A satisfactory mathematical foundation for particle interactions within a viscous liquid state (situation within the cytoplasm) does not exist nor do current computer programs enable building dynamic interaction networks for time resolved interactions. Building mathematical foundation for intracellular protein interactions can be achieved in two increments (a) trigger and capture the dynamic molecular changes for a select subset of proteins using several model systems and high throughput time resolved proteomics and, (b) use this information to build the mathematical foundation and computational algorithm for a compartmentalized and dynamic protein interaction network. Such a foundation is expected to provide benefit in at least two spheres: (a) understanding physiology enabling explanation of phenomenon such as incomplete penetrance in genetic disorders and (b) enabling several fold increase in biopharmaceutical production using impure starting materials.
Protest Records, Data Validity, and the Mexican Media: Development and Assessment of a Keyword Search Protocol

While considerable attention has been focused in recent years on questions of selection and coverage biases in media-derived protest data, little has been said about the procedures used to sample media records and scant attention has been paid to non-English-language news sources. This article outlines a Spanish-language keyword search protocol for finding protest event articles, and systematically evaluates it in terms of search validity and efficiency using a two-year dataset constructed from a full-text article search of the Mexican national news agency Noticias de Mexico. Results suggest that this protocol generates data with a high degree of search validity with respect to locating reports of conventional protest event forms, but is problematic with respect to the identification of unconventional protest forms. The significance of these findings for the broader investigation of media-derived protest data is discussed, and directions for future research are outlined.
Strabismus surgery for large-angle cyclotorsion after macular translocation surgery.

Abstract Purpose: We report the results of a new strabismus surgical procedure to address the large-angle cyclotorsion induced by macular translocation surgery for severe age-related macular degeneration. Methods: The strabismus surgery described is a modification of earlier-described surgery 1 and was performed for symptomatic incyclotorsion measuring 20 degrees or more (by Maddox rod testing) after macular translocation. Surgery included superior oblique tenotomy and inferior oblique advancement, with transposition of the lateral and medial recti to the insertions of the superior and inferior recti, respectively, in the affected eyes. Minimum follow-up time was 6 weeks. Results: Fifteen patients (15 eyes) had macular translocation surgery with incyclotorsion of 20 degrees or more. Mean incyclotorsion after macular translocation (36.1 ± 9.4°; range, 20-55) was reduced to 1.5 ± 6.4° after strabismus surgery (P Conclusion: The strabismus surgery described is effective at reducing the large degree of cyclotorsion (≥ 20 degrees) often resulting from macular translocation surgery, but does not allow reestablishment of binocular function. (J AAPOS 2002;6:154-62)
The effects of changes in head angle on auditory and visual input for omnidirectional and directional microphone hearing aids.

Improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for individuals with hearing loss who are listening to speech in noise provides an obvious benefit. Although binaural hearing provides the greatest advanta...
Evidence against purinergic nerve fibres in the hypogastric nerves of the cat.

1 Hypogastric nerve stimulation (HGS) produced a transient contraction of the cat urinary bladder and inhibition of pelvic nerve evoked bladder contractions. 2 Pretreatment by guanethidine (GUA) antagonized HGS inhibition of pelvic nerve evoked bladder contractions, but had no effect on the HGS-induced transient contractions. 3 GUA pretreatment had no effect on ATP or APPCP-induced contractions of the urinary bladder. 4 Pretreatment by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) antagonized both the transient contraction and the inhibition of pelvic nerve evoked bladder contractions induced by HGS. 5 6-OHDA pretreatment had no effect on ATP or APPCP-induced contractions of the urinary bladder.
Growth hormone and prolactin response to thyrotropin releasing hormone and growth hormone releasing factor in the immature turkey.

AbstractSynthetic thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) and human pancreatic growth hormone releasing factor (hpGRF) stimulated growth hormone (GH) secretion in 6- to 9-week-old turkeys in a dose-related manner. TRH and hpGRF (1 and 10 μg/kg, respectively) each produced a sixfold increase in circulating GH levels 10 min after iv injection. Neither TRH nor hpGRF caused a substantial change in prolactin (PRL) secretion in unrestrained turkeys sampled through intraatrial cannulas. However, some significant increases in PRL levels, possibly related to stress, were noted.
Phase selective sampling in a.c. polarography and application to direct measurement of double-layer capacity

Summary A phase-selective a.c. polarograph is described which operates on a sampling principle using a gating circuit. Conventional a.c. polarograms are obtained, but, in addition, direct measurement of the electrode double-layer capacity vs. potential is possible, even in the presence of a diffusion-controlled faradaic process. Results show that the double-layer capacity is not measurably altered by the presence of Cd2+ or Zn2+ but that Tl+ is adsorbed strongly in the vicinity of its reduction wave.
Utilization and Intensity of Outpatient Care Related to Military Sexual Trauma for Veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq

Little research has examined factors associated with the utilization of outpatient health care services related to sexual assault experiences. The Veterans Health Administration provides free outpatient treatment services to veterans who report military sexual trauma (MST); this system provides a unique opportunity to examine factors related to the utilization of mental health and non-mental health outpatient services by patients with sexual trauma. The current study examined sociodemographic, military service factors, and primary diagnoses related to utilization and utilization intensity of MST-related care among 4,458 Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans in a 1-year period after reporting an experience of MST. Of the veterans who reported MST, 75.9% received MST-related care. The most notable factor that influenced receipt and intensity of MST-related care was gender, where male veterans used less care than female veterans. These results have important treatment implications for both veteran and civilian sexual trauma survivors.
A preference foundation for log mean-variance criteria in portfolio choice problems

Abstract The appropriate criterion for evaluating, and hence also for properly constructing, investment portfolios whose performance is governed by an infinite sequence of stochastic returns has long been a subject of controversy and fascination. A criterion based on the expected logarithm of one-period return is known to lead to exponential growth with the greatest exponent, almost surely, and hence this criterion is frequently proposed. A refinement has been to include the variance of the logarithm of return as well, but this has had no substantial theoretical justification. This paper shows that log mean-variance criteria follow naturally from elementary assumptions on an individual's preference relation for deterministic wealth sequences. As a first and fundamental step, it is shown that if a preference relation involves only the tail of a sequence, then that relation can be extended to stochastic wealth sequences by almost sure equality. It is not necessary to introduce a von Neumann-Morgenstern utility function or the associated axioms. It is then shown that if tail preferences can be described by a ‘simple’ utility function, one that is of the form lim n→∞ ρ (W n , n) where Wn is wealth at period n, this utility must under suitable conditions be a function of the expected logarithm of return, independent of the functional form of ρ. Finally, ‘compound’ utility functions are introduced; and they are shown under suitable conditions to be functions of the expected value and variance of the logarithm of one-period return, again independently of the specific form of the underlying function. The infinite repetitions of the dynamic process essentially ‘hammer’ all utility functions into a log mean-variance form.
Annotating the Propositions in the Penn Chinese Treebank

In this paper, we describe an approach to annotate the propositions in the Penn Chinese Treebank. We describe how diathesis alternation patterns can be used to make coarse sense distinctions for Chinese verbs as a necessary step in annotating the predicate-structure of Chinese verbs. We then discuss the representation scheme we use to label the semantic arguments and adjuncts of the predicates. We discuss several complications for this type of annotation and describe our solutions. We then discuss how a lexical database with predicate-argument structure information can be used to ensure consistent annotation. Finally, we discuss possible applications for this resource.
Efficient Algorithms for Determining 3-D Bi-Plane Imaging Geometry

Biplane projection imaging is one of the primary methods for imaging and visualizing the cardiovascular system in medicine. A key problem in such a technique is to determine the imaging geometry (i.e., the relative rotation and translation) of two projections so that the 3-D structure can be accurately reconstructed. Based on interesting observations and efficient geometric techniques, we present in this paper new algorithmic solutions for this problem. Comparing with existing optimization-based approaches, our techniques yield better accuracy and have bounded execution time, thus is more suitable for on-line applications. Our techniques can easily detect outliers to further improve the accuracy.
The most critical unresolved issue associated with contemporary vocational rehabilitation for substance users.

Chronically unemployed, substance-using clients face many barriers to employment, especially those who are enrolled in methadone maintenance treatment programs (MMTPs). Significant personal barrier...
A phase I study of nelfinavir concurrent with temozolomide and radiotherapy in patients with glioblastoma multiforme.

We conducted a phase I trial to examine the maximally tolerated dose (MTD) of the oral protease inhibitor nelfinavir (NFV) in combination with temozolomide and concurrent radiotherapy in patients with glioblastoma and to gather preliminary data for response. The study was conducted in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma after surgical resection. Patients were treated with standard radiotherapy (6,000 cGy to the gross tumor volume), temozolomide (75 mg/m2 daily) together with daily oral NFV starting 7–10 days prior to chemoradiotherapy continuing for the duration of chemoradiation for 6 weeks. Temozolomide (150–200 mg/m2) was resumed 4 weeks after completion of chemoradiotherapy. Two dose levels of NFV were investigated: 625 mg twice daily (bid) and 1,250 mg bid in a cohort escalation design. A total of 21 patients were enrolled. At the maximum tolerated dose, 18 subjects were enrolled to further evaluate toxicity and for preliminary estimate of efficacy for further phase II study. No dose-limiting toxicity was noted at 625 mg bid. At 1,250 mg bid, 3 dose-limiting episodes of hepatotoxicity were noted and one dose-limiting episode of diarrhea. The MTD for this study was 1,250 mg bid. NFV (1,250 mg bid) concurrent with temozolomide and radiotherapy is tolerated in most patients with glioblastoma. At the 1,250 mg bid dose level, patients should be monitored for hepatotoxicity and GI side effects.
Ribavirin inhibits proliferation of bovine respiratory syncytial virus in vitro.

Abstract Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) is an important pathogen in bovine respiratory diseases in the United States. Proliferation of the disease can reach epidemic proportions with mortality reaching as high as 20%. In vitro work shown here suggests that the antiviral compound Ribavirin will be effective in the treatment of infected animals. Treatment at three dose levels with Ribavirin have shown significant inhibition of BRSV proliferation. Bovine turbinate cells were host cells for this study. Tissue culture specimens, infected and noninfected, were carried for 10 days. Presence of BRSV was verified with the use of monoclonal antibody. In addition, the infection with BRSV and consequential treatment with Ribavirin of calves demonstrated a noticeable reduction in viral symptom but no apparent systemic reaction to drug therapy.
Pharmacologic controversies in CPR

Since the 1985 Emergency Cardiac Care Conference, numerous controversies about the pharmacology of CPR have arisen (eg, questions about the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs during CPR, the optimal vehicle for delivery of medications, and the dose of atropine in brady-asystolic cardiac arrest). This article has three objectives: 1) to critically explore these controversies, 2) to provide recommendations for clinical practice, and 3) to identify areas for future study. The ideal route is one which combines rapid access with quick delivery of drug to the central circulation. Because of hemodynamic changes during CPR, administration of drugs into the central circulation is preferable when compared with peripheral venous injection. Whenever drugs are administered from a peripheral IV site, the extremity should be elevated, and a 20-mL bolus of IV fluid should be given to facilitate access of the agent to the central circulation. If there is a delay in obtaining venous access, epinephrine, lidocaine, and atropine may be administered through the endotracheal tube at 2.5 times the IV dose. When administering these drugs through the endotracheal tube, dilute the drug in 10 mL of saline or water and inject it through a long catheter beyond the tip of the endotracheal tube. Dextrose 5% water is the primary vehicle for drug delivery during CPR. However, the administration of glucose during CPR is controversial because of the potentially detrimental effects of hyperglycemia on neuronal function during periods of ischemia. Data are inconclusive regarding the effects of glucose levels on neurologic outcome following resuscitation. Hyperglycemia may be a marker for prolonged resuscitation with subsequent impairment in insulin release. However, inappropriately low levels of insulin during CPR may adversely affect myocardial glucose utilization. Further studies are needed to examine the potential role of insulin therapy in cardiac arrest victims with hyperglycemia. Supplemental administration of glucose should be reserved for documented hypoglycemia. The following issues regarding the use of atropine in cardiac arrest remain unresolved and warrant discussion: what is the maximum vagolytic dose of atropine in human beings, and will a higher dose of atropine change the outcome of patients with brady-asystole? Several studies have explored the dose response to atropine in human beings; 0.04 mg/kg (3 mg for a 70-kg patient) appears to be the maximum vagolytic dose of atropine. Although there are good theoretical reasons to use atropine in brady-asystolic cardiac arrest, human studies suggest that atropine may have only a limited role. It remains to be determined if increasing the maximum dose of atropine to 0.04 mg/kg will change the clinical outcome of patients with brady-asystole.
Monitoring and Predicting Agricultural Drought: A Global Study

Edited by VIJENDRA K. BOKEN, ARTHUR P. CRACKNELL and RONALD L. HEATHCOTE. I am a meteorologist, who is primarily interested in climate change over time periods from seasons to decades. Over my career I have analyzed precipitation observations for the Sahel, India and the western United States.
Sequential steps in the synthesis of hydroxylysine and the glycosylation of hydroxylysine during the biosynthesis of collagen

Abstract Cartilage from chick embryos was pulse-labeled with [ 14 C]lysine, and the incorporation of [ 14 C]lysine, synthesis of [ 14 C]hydroxylysine and synthesis of glycosylated [ 14 C]hydroxylysine were followed. The results indicated that the synthesis of [ 14 C]hydroxylysine lagged behind the incorporation of [ 14 C]lysine into protein. Incubation with puromycin or cycloheximide inhibited the incorporation of [ 14 C]-lysine, but there was a more marked effect on the synthesis of [ 14 C]hydroxylysine, and non-dialyzable peptides containing [ 14 C]lysine and little [ 14 C]hydroxylysine were recovered from the tissue. Pulse-label experiments also indicated that the synthesis of glycosylated [ 14 C]hydroxylysine lagged behind the synthesis of [ 14 C]hydroxylysine. Assays of the glycosylated [ 14 C]hydroxylysine in tissues pulse-labeled for 5, 10, or 20 min indicated that the ratio of glucosylgalactosyl[ 14 C]hydroxylysine to galactosyl[ 14 C]hydroxylysine gradually increased. Incubation of the tissues with 2-deoxyglucose resulted in the synthesis of fully hydroxylated but non-glycosylated collagen. The results indicate that the synthesis of hydroxylysine is similar to the synthesis of hydroxyproline during collagen biosynthesis in that most or all of the hydroxylation occurs after protocollagen polypeptides are released from ribosomal complexes. In addition, they indicate that the glycosylation of the hydroxylysine in collagen also occurs in discrete, sequential steps.
Path Analysis of the SCL-90-R: Exploring Use in Outpatient Assessment

The Symptom Checklist–90–Revised (SCL-90-R) is a widely used assessment of mental health pathology; however, its factor structure has been called into question by numerous studies. This study asses...
Escherichia coli and Porphyromonas gingivalis Lipopolysaccharide Interactions with CD14: Implications for Myeloid and Nonmyeloid Cell Activation

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a gram-negative bacterium, is an etiologic agent for adult periodontitis. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) released from this bacterium can react with numerous host cell types. P. gingivalis LPS stimulates tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-1beta secretion from monocytes (myeloid) but does not elicit E-selectin expression from human endothelial cells (nonmyeloid). In contrast, Escherichia coli LPS facilitates expression of these inflammatory mediators through CD14-dependent pathways on both myeloid and nonmyeloid cells. LPS binding studies have revealed that although P. gingivalis and E. coli LPSs bind to CD14 differently, this fact does not adequately explain the lack of endothelial cell activation by P. gingivalis LPS. Rather, LPS binding site and blocking monoclonal antibody epitope mapping studies have suggested that CD14 presents a charged surface that captures different microbial ligands by electrostatic interactions. We propose that human endothelial cells do not respond to P. gingivalis LPS because of their inability to "recognize" CD14-P. gingivalis LPS complexes.
Wisconsin's Budget Deficit: Size, Causes, Remedies, and Consequences

Wisconsin's lawmakers increased spending and cut taxes during the 1990s. Then, in January of 2001, they faced an estimated $2.4 billion budget gap or deficit for the FY 2001–2003 biennium. They cut spending and generated additional revenue by borrowing against future tobacco settlement income. Still, by January of 2002, the estimated deficit had grown by an additional $1.3 billion, and more cutting and borrowing took place. Despite these actions, a $3.5 billion deficit was projected for FY 2003–2005. In this study, the causes of the deficit, the “remedies” selected, and their effects are examined. “Lessons” highlighted by Wisconsin's experience include the risks associated with nonincremental policy making, the high costs of excessive political partisanship, and the corrosive effects of “fiscal brinksmanship.”
Enablement of Variation-Aware Timing: Treatment of Parasitic Resistance and Capacitance

We describe our enablement of variation-aware timing for ASIC circuits at the 90 nm CMOS technology node. In particular, we focus on the enablement of statistical process variations in parasitic resistance and capacitance at the Spice model level, which is an industry first. Traditional layout-to-Spice-netlist parasitic extraction (PEX) tools create resistor elements and capacitor elements with fixed values for parasitic resistance (R) and capacitance (C) in interconnect and in circuits. As such, the statistical variations in parasitic R and C are lost. Our enablement suite, which includes both a layout-to-Spice-netlist PEX tool and Spice models, supports not only the nominal values of parasitic R and C, but also provides the lower and upper bounds of parasitic R and C. More importantly, these lower and upper bounds and their nominal R and C values are in the same netlist, so that the continuous skewing of parasitic R and C is enabled. This is our first innovation. Our second innovation is to enable the Monte Carlo simulations of parasitic R and C. Our third innovation is to distinguish parasitic R and C from different interconnect levels or from poly, diffusion, substrate, and provides an independent skewing parameter for each metal level, via level, poly, diffusion, substrate, etc. We also explain how to do skewing/corner modeling for parasitic R and C
Repetitive interrogation of 2-level quantum systems

Trapped ion clocks derive information from a reference atomic transition by repetitive interrogations of the same quantum system, either a single ion or ionized gas of many millions of ions. Atomic beam frequency standards, by contrast, measure reference atomic transitions in a continuously replenished “flow through” configuration where initial ensemble atomic coherence is zero. We will describe some issues and problems that can arise when atomic state selection and preparation of the quantum atomic system is not completed, that is, optical pumping has not fully relaxed the coherence and also not fully transferred atoms to the initial state. We present a simple two-level density matrix analysis showing how frequency shifts during the state-selection process can cause frequency shifts of the measured clock transition. Such considerations are very important when a low intensity lamp light source is used for state selection, where there is relatively weak relaxation and re-pumping of ions to an initial state and much weaker ‘environmental’ relaxation of the atomic coherence set-up in the atomic sample.
Object Oriented MPI (OOMPI): a class library for the Message Passing Interface

Using the Message Passing Interface (MPI) in C++ has been difficult up to this point, because of the lack of suitable C++ bindings and C++ class libraries. The existing MPI standard provides language bindings only for C and Fortran 77, precluding their direct use in object-oriented programming. Even the proposed C++ bindings in MPI-2 are at a fairly low-level and are not directly suitable for object-oriented programming. In this paper, we present the requirements, analysis and design for Object-Oriented MPI (OOMPI), a C++ class library for MPI. Although the OOMPI class library is specified in C++, in some sense the specification is a generic one that uses C++ as the program description language. Thus, the OOMPI specification can also be considered as a generic object-oriented class library specification which can thus also form the basis for MPI class libraries in other object-oriented languages.
Letters from the edge of an agile transition

Starting as a new coach of a team with almost no agile experience and an enormous release pending was quite daunting. Change was slow and at first it seemed like we would not succeed in converting the team and delivering the product. It took patience, support at many different levels of the organization, and hard work from many different people to put this team on the path to becoming a functional and productive agile team. Now the team is growing as a successful and productive agile team. I am proud to have been a part of going from mostly offshore waterfall development to a local agile development team; from one release in about a year and a half to an average of one release per week; from over a hundred open issues to dozens and falling.
Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma and Bilateral Retinoblastomas: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Retinoblastoma survivors following successful treatment have a predilection to develop other malignant neoplasms. This report describes a patient with bilateral retinoblastomas diagnosed and treated early in life, who developed cutaneous malignant melanoma 20 years later. In out review of the literature only 5 cases with this association have been reported. We would like to report the sixth case.
Uvieta: aproximaciones liminares

Se emprende el estudio de varios aspectos de la obra, entre ellos los siguientes: la idea del orden, la contraposicion ciudad-campo y el tema del microcosmos.
Infection with Dual-Tropic Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Variants Associated with Rapid Total T Cell Decline and Disease Progression in Injection Drug Users

The characteristics of sequential human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates from 12 seroconverters among injection drug users selected for either rapid or slow disease progression were evaluated. All 6 patients who developed AIDS within 5 years were initially infected with syncytium-inducing (SI) variants or showed a transition from non-SI-inducing (NSI) to SI variants. Detection of SI variants was associated with rapid decline of both CD8 + and CD4 + T cells. In contrast, the 6 slow progressors carried only NSI variants and maintained stable or increasing CD8 + T cell levels. The SI variants that were associated with initial infection were dual tropic, with efficient replication in primary macrophages and T cell lines. These results suggest that the ability to replicate in macrophages, rather than the SI or NSI phenotype per se, may be an important determinant of HIV-1 transmission and that dual-tropic viruses, when transmitted, may be associated with rapid progression to AIDS.
Brain stem tuberculoma in adult patients: diagnosis and treatment

A consecutive series of six adult patients ranging in age from 29 to 53 years is presented. The clinical and radiological features in each patient are described. Attention is drawn to the features demonstrated on computed axial tomography. In only one patient, the first encountered, was surgical excision undertaken and histological verification obtained. One patient died before any form of treatment could be instituted. The remaining four patients were treated with antituberculous chemotherapy alone and their progress monitored by sequential computed tomography. The excellent response and good outcome in this conservatively treated group are documented.
Probabilistic Fault Displacement Hazard Analysis for Reverse Faults

We present a methodology for evaluating potential surface fault displacement due to reverse faulting events in a probabilistic manner. This methodology, called probabilistic fault displacement hazard analysis (PFDHA) follows procedures that were originally applied to normal faulting. We present empirical distributions for surface rupture, maximum and average displacement, spatial variability of slip, and other random variables that are central to performing PFDHA for reverse faults. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis is conducted on all independent variables in the PFDHA procedure. The Los Osos fault zone of central California is used as the test case, and results are presented in the form of a hazard curve. The influence each of the variables has on a hazard curve is quantified to provide direction for future research in PFDHA. It is seen that a distribution for slip spatial variability is the least influential term in the procedure, and a term for the probability of surface rupture has the most influence.
Fluctuating asymmetry in molar dimensions and discrete morphological traits in Pima Indians

Asymmetry in mesiodistal and buccolingual crown diameters and in eight morphologic crown traits of permanent first and second molars was analyzed in a large Pima Indian sample. Analysis of antimeric differences indicates no consistent evidence for directional asymmetry in Pima molars for either dimensions or morphologic traits. Second molars show greater degrees of metric and morphologic asymmetry than first molars. There is no conclusive evidence for either sex differences in magnitude of asymmetry or relationships between tooth size and morphologic asymmetry. Nonparametric correlations computed between asymmetry in crown dimensions and morphological traits show no significant interaction except where morphological trait development affected crown measurements. The distributions of antimeric differences for dimensional and morphologic traits demonstrate significant leptokurtic deviations from normality. This indicates fluctuating asymmetry in Pima Indians may result from several different sources of developmental variation.
Effect of Insecticides Used in Corn, Sorghum, and Alfalfa on the Predator Orius insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae)

Orius insidoisus (Say) is an important predator in corn, sorghum, and alfalfa. Foliar insecticides commonly used on corn (permethrin, bifenthrin, and fipronil); sorghum (chlorpyrifos, carbofuran, dimethoate, and cyfluthrin); and both crops (λ-cyhalothrin and ethyl parathion) were evaluated in 1998 and 1999 for their residual effects on O. insidiosus by caging adults on treated plants at several time intervals: at application (day 0) and 2, 3, and 6 d after application. In addition, imidacloprid, fipronil, and thiamethoxam used as seed treatments on corn and sorghum were tested for their effects on O. insidiosus by caging adults on plants in the presence and absence of greenbugs, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani). Finally, six of the same insecticides that also are used on alfalfa were evaluated in the field for their effects on O. insidiosus and other insects. On day 0, ethyl parathion, bifenthrin, and ]lambda]-cyhalothrin on corn caused significantly higher mortality to O. insidiosus than permethrin and fipronil. Ethyl parathion and carbofuran on sorghum caused significantly higher mortality than chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, and λ-cyhalothrin, which differed significantly from the control. Mortality with cyfluthrin did not differ significantly from that in the control. Insecticides had no significant effects on O. insidiosus 3 and 6 d after application in 1998 with the exception of permethrin on day 3. Similar patterns of mortality were observed in 1999 experiments. No significant differences in mortality of adults occurred with fipronil and thiamethoxam in the presence and absence of greenbugs. Imidachloprid caused significantly higher mortality to O. insidiosus adults than thiamethoxam or fipronil in some instances when greenbugs were not supplied as food. In alfalfa, the insecticides caused significant mortality to most of the insects evaluated. Ethyl parathion, permethrin, chlorpyrifos, and cyfluthrin caused significantly higher mortality to O. insidiosus than carbofuran and λ-cyhalothrin, which differed significantly from the control in 1998. In 1999, all treatments significantly reduced O. insidiosus numbers and did not differ significantly from each other.
Substrate specificity of retinyl ester hydrolase activity in retinal pigment epithelium

In the eye, hydrolysis of stored retinyl esters is catalyzed by retinyl ester hydrolase (REH) activities in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) membranes. In the present study, biochemical analyses were conducted to determine the substrate specificity of these activities. Specific activities determined for hydrolysis of various retinol isomers of retinyl palmitate (9-cis-, 11-cis-, 13-cis-, and all-trans-retinyl palmitates) indicated that 11-cis-retinyl palmitate is preferentially hydrolyzed (1.7 nmol/min/mg) compared to the other isomers (0.1-0.3 nmol/min/mg). Examination of the specificity of REH activity for 11-cis-retinyl esters of varied acyl chain length (-myristate, -palmitate, and -stearate) and degree of saturation (-oleate and -linoleate) further demonstrated that palmitate is the preferred fatty acyl moiety. Notably, retinyl esters possessing chain lengths which more closely approximate that of the palmitate ester exhibited higher rates of hydrolysis. Similar results were obtained in retinyl ester-plasma membrane fusion studies in which hydrolysis took place within the membrane domain rather than at the lipid-water interface. REH substrate specificity was further assessed in competition studies in which 11-cis-retinyl palmitate hydrolysis was monitored in the presence of 13-cis-, 9-cis-, or all-trans-retinyl palmitate. Results show that addition of these retinyl palmitate isomers does not affect the rate of hydrolysis of 11-cis-retinyl palmitate. However, the hydrolytic rates associated with other retinyl palmitate isomers were significantly reduced in the presence of 11-cis-retinyl palmitate. Finally, cholesterol ester hydrolase activity was found to be distinct from the observed 11-cis-REH activity and the presence of cholesterol oleate did not affect the rate of 11-cis-retinyl palmitate hydrolysis. Collectively, these data support the hypothesis that a distinct, membrane-associated, 11-cis-retinyl palmitate-specific retinyl ester hydrolase activity exists in the retinal pigment epithelium.
Asynchronous Iterative Algorithm for Computing Incomplete Factorizations on GPUs

This paper presents a GPU implementation of an asynchronous iterative algorithm for computing incomplete factorizations. Asynchronous algorithms, with their ability to tolerate memory latency, form an important class of algorithms for modern computer architectures. Our GPU implementation considers several non-traditional techniques that can be important for asynchronous algorithms to optimize convergence and data locality. These techniques include controlling the order in which variables are updated by controlling the order of execution of thread blocks, taking advantage of cache reuse between thread blocks, and managing the amount of parallelism to control the convergence of the algorithm.
"Heat Flush" Method of He 3 Separation

A further experimental study has been made of the efficiency of separation of ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ from mixtures of ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ and ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ in a method making use of the "internal convection" process in superfluid liquid helium. It is shown that the method is capable of removing all the ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ in mixtures with an original ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$/${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ abundance of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ percent in a period of about five minutes with a power input of 13 milliwatts. The efficiency of the method as a function of power input is also studied and comparison is made with Kapitza's measurements on the "latent heat" of superfluid atoms.
Modification of surface plasmon absorption loss via alloys

We have studied, theoretically and experimentally, modification of the surface plasmon absorption loss via alloying noble metals with other metals, which can contribute two or more electrons to the free electron gas.
Objective evaluation of skill acquisition in novice microsurgeons.

Introduction Medical training is increasingly focused on patient safety, limiting the ability to practice technical skills in the operative arena. Alternative methods of training residents must be designed and implemented. Methods Three expert microsurgeons were solicited to develop two drills to help residents acquire the basic subset of skills in microsurgery. The first drill was performance of five consecutive simple interrupted sutures on a rubber glove. Expert proficiency was considered a drill time of two standard deviations from expert mean. The drill was performed up to 10 times until completion of the task at expert proficiency. The second drill was performance of an anastomosis on silastic tubing. Residents performed the drill sequentially until performing two consecutive drills at expert proficiency. Results Eight residents with no microsurgical experience volunteered. Six of the eight residents were able to perform the rubber glove drill at expert proficiency within 10 attempts, with an average of 5.3. All of the residents were able to perform two consecutive silastic tubing drills at expert proficiency within nine attempts, with an average of 5.4. Conclusion Residents were able to acquire a basic subset of microsurgical skills within a reasonable time period using these drills.
Saccardo's Confusion of the Spermatial Stage of S. Duriaeana and S. Curreyana with the Sphacelia Stage of Claviceps Nigricans

Tulasne (Ann. Sci. Nat. III 20: 51, pl. 4, fig. 15-22. 1853) described Claviceps nigricans occurring in the caryopsis of Eleocharis and Scirpus. He describes all three stages, spermatial, sclerotial and perithecial. Saccardo, thirty years later (1880), having before him specimens later (1881) distributed in Roumeguere's Fungi Gallici 1200 on Carex paniculata bearing sclerotia in the culm with spermodochidia above, mistook the fungus to be the sphacelia stage of Tulasne's Claviceps nigricans. He applied the name "Sphacelia nigricans (Tul.)" Sacc. to the spermatial fruit-bodies and published a description of them (Michelia 2: 131. 1880). In the same publication (p. 134) he applied the name "Sclerotium nigricans (Tul.)" Sacc. to the sclerotial stage but gave no description, saying merely "in culms of Carex paniculata." In his description of Sphacelia nigricans and Sclerotium nigricans, he cites Therry as the collector. It seems obvious, however, that these two names were based upon the same specimen. The label on Roumeguere Fung. Gall. 1200 reads "Sclerotium nigricans (Tul.) Sacc. Michelia VI p. 134 S. sulcatum p. Nigricans Th. in litt." The "VI" is an error for II. It is obvious from an examination of the Roumeguere specimen, that the fungus involved is the spermatial and sclerotial stages of Tulasne's Sclerotinia duriaeana as Whetzel (Mycologia 21: 9) has already pointed out. In 1883 Saccardo (Syll. Fung. 2: 565) re-published the Latin description of Claviceps nigricans Tul. describing the perithecial stage and the sclerotium, but making no mention of the sphacelia
Introduction to and Bibliography for the Study of Alimentary Life Writing and Recipe Writing as War Literature

In her article "Introduction to and Bibliography for the Study of Alimentary Life Writing and Recipe Writing as War Literature" Louise O. Vasvari defines the concept of "alimentary life writing" and locates it in the broader multidisciplinary context of alimentary history, the history of everyday life, gender studies, trauma, and war and holocaust studies. She also underlines and exemplifies the cultural and gendered significance of alimentary life writing in particular in grounding personal and collective identity formation in the female immigrant and ethnic and multicultural writing. Vasvari also compares and contrasts such life writing to wartime food memoirs, as well as to communal wartime food talk and recipe writing as a tool of survival by inmates in prisoner-of-war and in concentration
An Approach for Load Modeling of Electric Vehicle Charging Station

To execute large-scale charging load forecasting and evaluate the influence of charging load on power grid,the load modeling of electric vehicle(EV) charging station is an element task for them.The load of charging station is related to following factors: the flow of EV driven into charging station,the duration of charging and charging capability of the station,so it presents a complex characteristics and it makes difficulties in the load modeling of charging station.Firstly,by means of analyzing the influence of the flow of EV driven into charging station on charging load,two modeling methods based on the description of load in charging station are proposed: one of them is based on mathematical formula,by which the charging load can be rapidly calculated under certain preconditions,and the another is a method based on the simulation of dynamic process,in which multi practical influencing factors are taken into account;secondly,the application method of the load model and concrete steps of the application are expounded.Taking the charging station for electric buses during Beijing Olympic Games as the background,the load modeling process is simulated and simulation results are compared with measured data to verify the feasibility of the proposed methods.Simulation results show that both the proposed methods can describe the load variation of charging station well,and the dynamic simulation method can reflect the influences of multi factors on load of charging station more accurately.
Study on the Correlation of Liangshan Semi wool Sheep between Blood Biochemical Parameters and Production Traits

Most of blood biochemical parameters in Liangshan semi wool sheep are within the normal physio logical values, and the productions of Liangshan semi wool sheep are very high. The results also show that the blood phosphorus and Ca×P values are correlated with grease fleece weight and clean wool percentages positively and significantly, but they are negatively correlated with grease percentages (0 01P0 05 or P0 01). Na and K contents of sera correlated with greecy weight negatively (0 01P0 05 or P0 01). In order to improve production and selecting accuracy of Liangshan semi wool sheep, we can use some blood biochemical parameters, such as phosphorus and Ca×P values etc., to assistant selection.
Prevalence and Distribution of Campylobacter jejuni in Small-Scale Broiler Operations.

ABSTRACT Campylobacter jejuni has been recognized as one of the most prevalent causes of foodborne bacterial illnesses in humans. Previous studies have focused on the transmission routes of C. jejuni from commercial flock farms to the final retail product. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of C. jejuni and Campylobacter spp. in eggshells, live birds, feed, drinking water, and the rearing environment in a small-scale broiler operation. Broilers were raised under two different production systems: (i) environmentally controlled housing and (ii) open-air housing with two replications. Each week, samples were collected from eggshells, bird feces, feed, drinking water, enclosures (vertical walls of bird housing), and feed troughs for enumeration and isolation testing. All samples were plated on modified charcoal-cefoperazone-deoxycholate agar to determine the log CFU per gram and percent prevalence of Campylobacter spp. Isolation of C. jejuni was verified with latex agglutination and h...
Inhibition of leukocyte agglutination by serum from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a manifestation of the L.E. cell phenomenon.

Dying leukocytes suspended in normal serum tend to agglutinate spontaneously into a firm "clot." This phenomenon is associated with cell lysis and the formation of long fibrous strands of DNA-protein. It seems likely that nuclear DNA-protein actually combines in some way with a fraction of the serum proteins (possibly mucoprotein). Such leukocyte agglutination is inhibited by serum containing the L.E. cell factor. LAI is associated with nuclear changes which are characteristic of the L.E. cell phenomenon, and it is most probable that it is an expression of the L.E. cell phenomenon. An understanding of the chemistry of LAI may lead to useful information as to the fundamental mechanism of the L.E. cell phenomenon. Without such understanding, LAI has been used to obtain collateral information concerning the L.E. cell phenomenon: namely, to rule out any important role for DNA-ase, and to confirm the importance of blood platelets. It has also been used to prepare "pure cultures" of L.E. bodies for cytochemical study. On a clinical level, LAI may prove a useful adjunct to the standard L.E. cell tests. However, its lower level of sensitivity and occasional "false positive" reactions make it inadequate as a primary test in systemic lupus.
Construction of the Discrete Approximation Sequence

Since the fundamental paper of Moser (cf. [105]), it has been understood analytically that regularization is necessary as a postconditioning step in the application of approximate Newton methods, based upon the system differential map. A development of these ideas in terms of current numerical methods and complexity estimates was given by the author in [65]. The approach of Moser is often termed Nash-Moser iteration, because of the fundamental link to generalized implicit function theorems (cf. [108]), specifically, the Nash implicit function theorem. It was proposed by the author in [70], and analyzed further in [71], to use the fixed point map as a basis for the linearization, and thereby avoid the loss of derivatives phenomenon identified by Moser, and termed a numerical loss of derivatives in [65]. In the context of numerical analysis, this loss occurs because the approximation of the identity condition, involved in approximate Newton methods, is not robust with respect to differentiation up to the order of the nonlinear differential system (see (7.8) below). In this chapter, we shall discuss the implications of this fact. It is at the core of preferring the fixed point formulation to the differential formulation. We begin with the former. Our discussion of this case is brief, because of the developments of the preceding chapters.
Patterns of Empire: The British and American Empires, 1688 to the Present

Patterns of Empire comprehensively examines the two most powerful empires in modern history: the United States and Britain. Challenging the popular theory that the American empire is unique, Patterns of Empire shows how the policies, practices, forms and historical dynamics of the American empire repeat those of the British, leading up to the present climate of economic decline, treacherous intervention in the Middle East and overextended imperial confidence. A critical exercise in revisionist history and comparative social science, this book also offers a challenging theory of empire that recognizes the agency of non-Western peoples, the impact of global fields and the limits of imperial power.
The effect analysis of mediation variable of task productivity on the self-efficacy and employees’ performance

This research was conducted for analyzing the effect of mediating variable that is individual task proactivity as one of the proactivities of behavior towards the relationship between self-efficacy and the employees’ performance in the logistics companies of shipping the goods. It uses convenience sampling, which is a non-probability sampling method for getting the sample of 52 employees. They were divided into two divisions, namely infrastructure and quality assurance. The questionnaire consists of two parts, in which some were assessed by themselves and others that were assessed by the supervisor. They were analyzed using path analysis using analytical tools developed by Hayes, Preacher-Hayes with the simple mediation models. It was found that employees have self-efficacy, individual task proactiv i ty, and relatively high performance, in which individual task proactivity can be a mediating variable on the effect self-efficacy on performance.
Field Report: Collecting Data on the Influence of Culture and Indigenous Knowledge on Breast Cancer Among Women in Nigeria

Culture has been shown to influence health beliefs and health-related behaviors because it influences the type of information women have been exposed to, as well as their resources for interpreting such information. This field report summarizes my approach to understanding how culture influences breast cancer screening behaviors among women seeking care at a local non-profit clinic in Lagos, Nigeria.