cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is the Healthy Marriage Initiative Really Healthy for Families? A Critical Analysis

The Healthy Marriage Initiative is a government proposal to expand programs promoting marriage, particularly among low-income families and welfare recipients. In this paper, I examine the implications of this proposal as it applies to child poverty. I argue that contrary to the claims of its proponents, the Healthy Marriage Initiative would not substantially reduce child poverty rates, would increase as many unhealthy as healthy marriages, and would intrude inappropriately into the lives of poor men and women.
Candida spp. infective endocarditis: Characteristics and outcomes of twenty patients with a focus on injection drug use as a predisposing risk factor.

Background Candida spp. infective endocarditis (CIE) although rare is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Risk factors include prosthetic heart valves and injection drug use (IDU). We reviewed all cases of CIE at our institution to describe the microbiology, treatment and outcomes of patients focusing on IDU as a predisposing factor. Methods Retrospective cohort of patients with definite CIE between 2013 and 2019 at a university hospital was analysed. Demographic data collected included IDU, microbiologic, treatment and mortality. The primary outcome of interest was 12-month, all-cause mortality. Results Twenty patients were included (one had two separate episodes of CIE); CIE accounted for 4% of total infective endocarditis (IE) cases during the study period. The median (IQR) age was 38 (30-58) years, 10 (50%) had a previous history of IE, and 4 (20%) patients had prosthetic heart valves or an implanted cardiac device. Thirteen (65%) patients were IDU. The tricuspid valve was the primary valve involved (8/18, 44%), and C albicans was the most frequently isolated organism (8, 36%). Echinocandin was the most common treatment strategy (8, 40%). Only three (15%) patients underwent valve replacement during hospitalisation. There were no in-hospital fatalities, and 5 (25%) patients died at one year; all were IDU (39% to 0%, p = .11). Conclusion CIE is a rare infectious disease seen more commonly in the IDU population. Cardiac surgery was rarely performed, and long-term mortality was 25%. Additional data are needed to identify ideal management strategies in this population.
3D printing biomimetic materials and structures for biomedical applications

Over millions of years of evolution, nature has created organisms with overwhelming performances due to their unique materials and structures, providing us with valuable inspirations for the development of next-generation biomedical devices. As a promising new technology, 3D printing enables the fabrication of multiscale, multi-material, and multi-functional three-dimensional (3D) biomimetic materials and structures with high precision and great flexibility. The manufacturing challenges of biomedical devices with advanced biomimetic materials and structures for various applications were overcome with the flourishing development of 3D printing technologies. In this paper, the state-of-the-art additive manufacturing of biomimetic materials and structures in the field of biomedical engineering were overviewed. Various kinds of biomedical applications, including implants, lab-on-chip, medicine, microvascular network, and artificial organs and tissues, were respectively discussed. The technical challenges and limitations of biomimetic additive manufacturing in biomedical applications were further investigated, and the potential solutions and intriguing future technological developments of biomimetic 3D printing of biomedical devices were highlighted.
Signal Detection in Distributed MIMO Radar With Non-Orthogonal Waveforms and Sync Errors

Although routinely utilized in literature, orthogonal waveforms may lose orthogonality in distributed multi-input multi-output (MIMO) radar with spatially separated transmit (TX) and receive (RX) antennas, as the waveforms may experience distinct delays and Doppler frequency offsets unique to different TX-RX propagation paths. In such cases, the output of each waveform-specific matched filter (MF), employed to unravel the waveforms at the RXs, contains both an auto term and multiple cross terms , i.e., the filtered response of the desired and, respectively, undesired waveforms. We consider the impact of non-orthogonal waveforms and their cross terms on target detection with or without timing, frequency, and phase errors. To this end, we present a general signal model for distributed MIMO radar, examine target detection using existing coherent/non-coherent detectors and two new detectors, including a hybrid detector that requires phase coherence locally but not across distributed antennas, and provide a statistical analysis leading to closed-form expressions of false alarm and detection probabilities for all detectors. Our results show that cross terms can behave like foes or friends , respectively, if they and the auto term add destructively or constructively , depending on the propagation delay, frequency, and phase offsets. Regarding sync errors, we show that phase errors affect only coherent detectors, frequency errors degrade all but the non-coherent detector, while all are impacted by timing errors, which result in a loss in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
Trend analysis and change point detection of annual and seasonal horizontal visibility trends in Saudi Arabia

Horizontal visibility is of utmost importance in climate and air quality studies as it can provide key information related to changes in meteorological conditions, air quality, and their impact on human health. In this study, multiple trend analysis methods were applied to investigate the annual and seasonal horizontal visibility trends based on 1985 to 2018 at 23 locations in Saudi Arabia. Different forms of the Mann-Kendall (MK) test were conducted for the trend analysis, which includes the MK test with (without) autocorrelation corrections. In addition to that, Sen’s slope estimator and Kendall’s Tau were used to examine horizontal visibility trends and trend magnitudes. The sequential Mann-Kendall test was used to locate trend fluctuations over time and to detect abrupt changes in the horizontal visibility. It was found that 64.4% of the time series have significant decreasing trends (visibility decreasing with time). The average trend magnitude for Saudi Arabia was − 0.024 km/year over the evaluated period. Stations in the North-East quadrant (NE-Region) had a higher visibility degradation in spring and lower visibility degradation in summer. Stations in the Western area (W-Region) have higher visibility degradation in winter and lower visibility degradation in autumn. Northeastern part of the NE-Region showed the highest visibility deterioration. The sequential MK test detected increasing visibility trends in the early 1990s to the early 2000s, while during the mid-2000s to 2018, most of the data showed decreasing trends. The time series of annual horizontal variability in most of the stations located in the NE-Region showed more significant decreasing abrupt changes; however, few stations located in these two regions revealed insignificant increasing abrupt changes.
Energy as a seasonal signal for growth and reproduction

Plants measure photoperiod as a predictable signal for seasonal change. Recently, new connections between photoperiod measuring systems and metabolism in plants have been revealed. These studies explore historical observations of metabolism and photoperiod with modern tools and approaches, suggesting there is much more to learn about photoperiodism in plants.
Agriculture Policy and Development in Iran: An Overview

This article is concerned with the production and trade of agricultural products in Iran. The development of the agriculture sector of the economy of Iran is analyzed from 1980 to the present day. By doing so, it is possible to see long-term trends in both the production and trade of all agricultural products. This review will attempt to show trends which have occurred in Iran in the post revolutionary period. They include the rise in the level of production of agricultural products. At the same time the increases in the production has not kept pace with a substantial rise in population, leading to increased imports of all categories of agricultural products. Iran, once an exporter, is now a net importer of agricultural products. This paper will also examine the way in which Iran is now seeking to develop it agriculture sector and to what extent it has been successful.
ChunkStash: speeding up inline storage deduplication using flash memory

Storage deduplication has received recent interest in the research community. In scenarios where the backup process has to complete within short time windows, inline deduplication can help to achieve higher backup throughput. In such systems, the method of identifying duplicate data, using disk-based indexes on chunk hashes, can create throughput bottlenecks due to disk I/Os involved in index lookups. RAM prefetching and bloom-filter based techniques used by Zhu et al. [42] can avoid disk I/Os on close to 99% of the index lookups. Even at this reduced rate, an index lookup going to disk contributes about 0.1msec to the average lookup time - this is about 1000 times slower than a lookup hitting in RAM. We propose to reduce the penalty of index lookup misses in RAM by orders of magnitude by serving such lookups from a flash-based index, thereby, increasing inline deduplication throughput. Flash memory can reduce the huge gap between RAM and hard disk in terms of both cost and access times and is a suitable choice for this application. To this end, we design a flash-assisted inline deduplication system using ChunkStash, a chunk metadata store on flash. ChunkStash uses one flash read per chunk lookup and works in concert with RAM prefetching strategies. It organizes chunk metadata in a log-structure on flash to exploit fast sequential writes. It uses an inmemory hash table to index them, with hash collisions resolved by a variant of cuckoo hashing. The in-memory hash table stores (2-byte) compact key signatures instead of full chunk-ids (20-byte SHA-1 hashes) so as to strike tradeoffs between RAM usage and false flash reads. Further, by indexing a small fraction of chunks per container, ChunkStash can reduce RAM usage significantly with negligible loss in deduplication quality. Evaluations using real-world enterprise backup datasets show that ChunkStash outperforms a hard disk index based inline deduplication system by 7x-60x on the metric of backup throughput (MB/sec).
Error Correcting Codes with Optimized Kullback-Leibler Distances for Text Categorization

We extend a multi-class categorization scheme proposed by Dietterich and Bakiri 1995 for binary classifiers, using error correcting codes. The extension comprises the computation of the codes by a simulated annealing algorithm and optimization of Kullback-Leibler (KL) category distances within the code-words. For the first time, we apply the scheme to text categorization with support vector machines (SVMs) on several large text corpora with more than 100 categories. The results are compared to 1-of-N coding (i.e. one SVM for each text category). We also investigate codes with optimized KL distance between the text categories which are merged in the code-words. We find that error correcting codes perform better than 1-of-N coding with increasing code length. For very long codes, the performance is in some cases further improved by KL-distance optimization.
Space proton transport in one dimension

An approximate evaluation procedure is derived for a second-order theory of coupled nucleon transport in one dimension. An analytical solution with a simplified interaction model is used to determine quadrature parameters to minimize truncation error. Effects of the improved method on transport solutions with the BRYNTRN data base are evaluated. Comparisons with Monte Carlo benchmarks are given. Using different shield materials, the computational procedure is used to study the physics of space protons. A transition effect occurs in tissue near the shield interface and is most important in shields of high atomic number.
Benchmarking the MCNP Monte Carlo code with a photon skyshine experiment

The MCNP Monte Carlo transport code is used by the Los Alamos National Laboratory Health and Safety Division for a broad spectrum of radiation shielding calculations. One such application involves the determination of skyshine dose for a variety of photon sources. To verify the accuracy of the code, it was benchmarked with the Kansas State Univ. (KSU) photon skyshine experiment of 1977. The KSU experiment for the unshielded source geometry was simulated in great detail to include the contribution of groundshine, in-silo photon scatter, and the effect of spectral degradation in the source capsule. The standard deviation of the KSU experimental data was stated to be 7%, while the statistical uncertainty of the simulation was kept at or under 1%. The results of the simulation agreed closely with the experimental data, generally to within 6%. At distances of under 100 m from the silo, the modeling of the in-silo scatter was crucial to achieving close agreement with the experiment. Specifically, scatter off the top layer of the source cask accounted for [approximately]12% of the dose at 50 m. At distance >300m, using the [sup 60]Co line spectrum led to a dose overresponse as great as 19% at 700 m. Itmore » was necessary to use the actual source spectrum, which includes a Compton tail from photon collisions in the source capsule, to achieve close agreement with experimental data. These results highlight the importance of using Monte Carlo transport techniques to account for the nonideal features of even simple experiments''.« less
Genetic Risk Factors and Offsetting Behavior: The Case of Skin Cancer

This paper analyzes the extent of offsetting behavior using survey data on risk beliefs about skin cancer and precautionary actions that people can take to avoid this disease. The perspective taken is that, at conception, people are "installed" with differing genetic characteristics, such as skin type and complexion, which affect the likelihood of contracting skin cancer. The main issue addressed deals with how people's risk beliefs respond to the "safety features" reflected in their own genetic characteristics. Empirical results presented suggest that precautions against solar radiation exposure are chosen so as to partially offset genetic skin cancer protection.
¿Qué orden prevalece, qué orden se extingue?

Caminos y encuentros de Maqroll el Gaviero. Escritos de y sobre Alvaro Mutis. Javier Ruiz Portella (ed.). Ediciones Altera, Barcelona, 344 pags.
Molecular Genetics of Cataract

Lens opacities or cataract(s) represent a universally important cause of visual impairment and blindness. Typically, cataract is acquired with aging as a complex disorder involving environmental and genetic risk factors. Cataract may also be inherited with an early onset either in association with other ocular and/or systemic abnormalities or as an isolated lens phenotype. Here we briefly review recent advances in gene discovery for inherited and age-related forms of cataract that are providing new insights into lens development and aging.
Bioluminescent virion shells: new tools for quantitation of AAV vector dynamics in cells and live animals.

Bioluminescent virion shells: new tools for quantitation of AAV vector dynamics in cells and live animals
Calcium release from intracellular stores and excitation-contraction coupling in intestinal smooth muscle

Calcium release from intracellular stores plays a central role in excitation-contraction coupling of striated and smooth muscle cells. Two main intracellular calcium pools have been identified in phasic smooth muscle: (1) the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive and the (2) ryanodine-sensitive calcium stores. We studied the contribution of the ryanodine-sensitive calcium stores to the excitation-contraction coupling in the intestine. The intracellular calcium concentration was measured in cultured intestinal smooth muscle cells using the fluorescent probe fura-2-AM. Isometric tension generated by the murine jejunum was recorded in vitro using force displacement transducers. The cytosolic calcium level increased significantly on cholinergic stimulation. The rise persisted in the absence of extracellular calcium. Depletion of ryanodine-sensitive calcium stores with caffeine or ryanodine blunted the response to a cholinergic agonists. Similarly, the ryanodine receptor channel blocker dantrolene significantly decreased the carbachol-induced calcium increase. We subsequently tested the effects of these pharmacological tools on the spontaneous and carbachol-induced contractions of the murine jejunum. Depletion of the ryanodine-sensitive stores and calcium release channel block both significantly decreased the contractile activity of the circular and longitudinal layer of the muscularis propria. Our data confirm the importance of intracellular calcium stores in excitation-contraction coupling of intestinal smooth muscle cells. The effects of different pharmacological tools on the intracellular calcium signal and the contractile function are consistent with other observations in phasic smooth muscle. They suggest a significant contribution of calcium release from ryanodine-sensitive stores to the calcium signal that triggers contraction.
Selection of radionuclides for radioimmunotherapy.

Selection criteria for radionuclides to be used in radioimmunotherapy are reviewed. Among the topics covered are half‐life, specific activity, type of emission, and ease of preparation. (AIP)
Interface roughening and domain growth in the dilute Ising model

We have studied domain growth in the two-dimensional dilute Ising model following an instantaneous quench from a very high temperature to a temperature below the critical point. We have carried out Monte Carlo simulations of system sizes up to 600 out to a maximum of 20 000 Monte Carlo steps per spin. We have interpreted the crossover from the curvature-driven regime to a new growth regime in the light of a phenomenological theory that describes the impurity roughening of the interface between the two phases.
Occupational Risk Factors and Back Injury

Twenty-one risk factors affecting laborers in manual materials handling tasks were analyzed to determine what, if any, statistically significant relationships existed between the factors and the emergence of occupational back injury. The statistically significant risk factors (p ≤ .05) in the univariate analysis were determined to be weight lifted per hour (work intensity), trunk twists per hour, weight lifted per day, frequency of lift, trunk motions per hour, and trunk flexions per hour, with odds ratios (ORs) of 1.28-2.88. In addition, self-reported discomfort in the neck, middle back, knees, and lower back was associated with the outcome of back injury (p ≤ .05, OR 1.75-2.66). In the multivariate analysis, the statistically significant risk factors (p ≤ .05) were weight lifted per hour (work intensity), average weight of lift, and number of trunk twists per hour, with ORs of 1.74-4.98.
Literature-based discovery: Beyond the ABCs

Literature-based discovery (LBD) refers to a particular type of text mining that seeks to identify nontrivial assertions that are implicit, and not explicitly stated, and that are detected by juxtaposing (generally a large body of) documents. In this review, I will provide a brief overview of LBD, both past and present, and will propose some new directions for the next decade. The prevalent ABC model is not “wrong”; however, it is only one of several different types of models that can contribute to the development of the next generation of LBD tools. Perhaps the most urgent need is to develop a series of objective literature-based interestingness measures, which can customize the output of LBD systems for different types of scientific investigations. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sézary cell counts in erythrodermic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: implications for prognosis and staging.

In this retrospective study, quantitative Sezary cell counts were performed at presentation on 192 patients with erythrodermic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (E-CTCL). Per recommendation of the International Society of Cutaneous Lymphomas (ISCL), the impact on staging of using an absolute Sezary cell count of 1.0 K microL-1 or more as equivalent to lymph node involvement was investigated. Of 132 patients with disease initially classified at stage III using the current TNM staging system, 25% were up staged to IVa, resulting in a clearer separation of associated survival curves between the stages. Furthermore, the current ISCL definition of B0, B1 and B2 ratings were improved using Sezary cell count levels of or = 1.0 - 4.99 K microL-1 and > or = 5.0 K microL-1, respectively. These modified B ratings potentially could be used in an alternative staging system for E-CTCL without N rating. Advanced age, prior exposure to multiple systemic drugs, enlargement of peripheral lymph nodes (>3 cm), other measures of blood tumor burden (CD4/CD8 ratio > or = 10, chromosomally-abnormal clone) and 2-fold increase in serum LDH level were other factors of prognostic significance. The clinical importance of these variables vis-a-vis the modified TNBM staging system will need to be clarified in future studies.
Preconception healthcare: what do men know and believe?

Abstract Background The objectives of this study were to determine if men realize the importance of optimizing their health prior to a pregnancy, whether the pregnancy is planned or not; and to evaluate their knowledge level and beliefs about preconception healthcare. Additionally, we sought to understand how and when men wanted to receive information on preconception health. Methods A survey study was performed using consecutive patients presenting to two primary care practices for care. Patients were recruited based on willingness to complete the survey at the time of their appointment, but prior to being seen by the physician. Results A total of 132 men completed the survey. Nearly all men (93.2%) realized the importance of optimizing their health prior to a pregnancy, and realized the best time to receive information about preconception health was before conception. The majority of patients surveyed (75.0%) preferred to receive information about preconception health from their primary care physician. Only 8.3% of men could recall their physician ever discussing this topic. The population studied revealed some significant knowledge deficiencies about factors that may threaten their health or the health of their partner's fetus. Conclusions A majority of men do understand the importance of optimizing their health prior to conception, and look to their primary care physician as their preferred source for such information. Study participants demonstrated deficiencies in their knowledge of risk factors that impact paternal and fetal health suggesting that physicians are not addressing preconception healthcare during routine care.
Intracellular proteinases of growing and differentiated haploid cells of Physarum flavicomum

The profiles of intracellular proteinases in growing myxamoebae-swarm cells and dormant microcysts of Physarum flavicomum Berk. were determined. Extracts were subjected to column isoelectric focusing and the fractions assayed for pH and ability to hydrolyze Azocoll. About 18 enzymes were detected in the growing cells with the greatest activity occurring at isoelectric points (pI) 9.0, 9.2, 9.5, 5.5, 3.3, and 9.8 in decreasing order. However, there was a shift in activity toward enzymes with a more acidic pI in the microcysts; of the 15 enzymes detected, the order of decreasing activity was pI 5.3, 8.3, 4.5, 3.5, 3.9, and 4.2. Extracts were also focused in gels and enzyme fractions subjected to discontinuous gel electrophoresis followed by leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) assays using l -leucyl-4-methoxy-β-naphthylamide as substrate. LAPs were detected in amoebal extracts with pI's of 5.5, 5.0, and 4.3, while cyst extracts contained LAPs at pI's 5.3, 4.5, and 3.9.
Effect of age on adrenergic and dopaminergic receptor binding in rat brain

The effects of age on receptor binding of adrenergic and dopaminergic ligands were studied in rat cerebral cortex and striatum respectively. Compared to rats 5 months of age, 25-month old rats had a significant decrease in specific binding of the β-adrenergic antagonist ligand 3H-DHA, the α-adrenergic ligand 3H-WB-4101 in cortex, and the dopaminergic antagonist 3H-spiperone in striatum. Scatchard analysis of ligand binding indicated that the decrease in specific binding was due to a decrease in the number of receptors and not to a change in the affinity of the ligand for the receptor.
Auger Spectroscopy and Electronically-stimulated Surface Processes

Electronic excitationsin adsorbate layers stimulate desoprtion and dissociation of adsorbed melecules as well as chemical reactions between adsorbates. The highest-probability stimulated processes produce neutral desorbates and determine how surface composition is altered by elctron or photon radiation. A basic understanding has emerged, due largely to laser resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) experiments, which provide quantum-state resolution of the gas-phase products. Auger phenomena enter this understanding in several ways. For example, CVV Auger spectroscopy determines the screened hole-hole interaction, U, in adsorbates, which in turn provides insight into the degree of charge-transfer screening from the substrate. In those systems where screening charge is used in excitation Auger decay, screening direcly determines the lifetime, which in turn can exponentially affect the yield. Reductions in screening, e.g. induced by coadsorption of electro-negative species, thus can result in giant yield enhancements. As separate issues, a finite U may prevent the fast resonant decay and this increase the yield from two-hole excitations, as has been suggested for NO2 dissociation on Pt(111), or may assist in the localization (self-trapping) of two-hole excitations in dense adsorbate layers, as apparently is the case for NO desorption from the same surface. The latter causes the yields from one- and two-hole excitations to differ in their coverage dependence. Finally, CVV Auger spectroscopy, of course, measures the energies of two-hole excitations, which can be correlated with observed stimulated thresholds.
Folding-approximating clamp to simplify microvasovasostomy.

A more accurate two-layer closure technique for use during vas reanastomosis is described. It has been noted that the mucosal layer closure during surgical resection can be more easily accomplished if both cut ends of the vas deferens are facing the surgeon at the time of repair. Then technically accurate mucosal sutures can be placed in 4 quadrants equally distributing the available mucosa on both sides of the repair. This capability can be achieved by using the folding approximating clamp described in this brief communication. The clamps (2) are attached to a bar which allows for their approximation; clamps are 2 mm wide and are C shaped. Pressure generated at the end of the clamp is 75 Gm. Proper use of this clamp for reanastomosis is depicted in a series of figures elucidated by stepwise textual description of a surgical procedure.
Influence of aspect ratio on effective electromechanical coupling of nanocomposites with lead zirconate titanate nanowire inclusion

Piezoelectric ceramics offer exceptional sensing and actuation properties, however, they are prone to breakage and are difficult to apply to curved surfaces in their monolithic form. One method to ...
Characterization of Heparin Oligosaccharides Binding Specifically to Antithrombin III Using Mass Spectrometry

Heparan sulfate (HS) is a sulfated glycosaminoglycan attached to a core protein on the cell surface. Protein binding to cell surface HS is a key regulatory event for many cellular processes such as blood coagulation, cell proliferation, and migration. The concept whereby protein binding to HS is not random but requires a limited number of sulfation patterns is becoming clear. Here we describe a hydrophobic trapping assay for screening a library of heparin hexasaccharides for binders to antithrombin III (ATIII). The hexasaccharide compositions are defined with their building block content in the following format: (ΔHexA:HexA:GlcN:SO3:Ac). Of five initial compositions present in the library, (1:2:3:6:1), (1:2:3:7:1), (1:2:3:7:0), (1:2:3:8:0), and (1:2:3:9:0), only two are shown to bind ATIII, namely, (1:2:3:8:0) and (1:2:3:9:0). The use of amide hydrophilic interaction (HILIC) liquid chromatography−mass spectrometry permitted reproducible quantitative analysis of the composition of the initial library as we...
Dose effects of smoked marihuana on human cognitive and motor functions.

Graded doses of marihuana were administered to five adults in a longitudinal repeated-measurements design. Speed of response was the basic parameter measured across tests of increasing cognitive involvement. Marihuana produced significant dose-response effects of impaired performance in all test scores. However, single automatic motor abilities demonstrated greater sensitivity than tests of greater complexity. Evidence is presented for tolerance development.
Pool Size and Mean Age of Stable Soil Organic Carbon in Cropland

Most modern surface soils are believed to contain a pool of very stable soil organic carbon (SOC) with a mean age (MA) that may reach several thousand years. The remaining SOC pools are much younger, perhaps no older than a few decades. The SOC can thus be divided into two major classes: very old (stable pool) and relatively young (active pool). Because active and stable SOC play very different roles in soil organic-matter dynamics and nutrient cycling, it is desirable to know the pool size and turnover time of the two fractions in an ecosystem. Unfortunately, none of the physical or chemical fractionation methods can satisfactorily separate active from stable SOC. The pool size and MA of the stable SOC pool in the surface soil of the Morrow Plots (University of Illinois) and Sanborn Field (University of Missouri) were determined using the concept of management-induced differential decomposition of active SOC in a pair of soil samples and the principle of radiocarbon dating. Pool size and MA of the stable SOC in the surface soil (0–20 cm) was estimated at 11.0 g/kg and 2973 yr for the Morrow Plots and 7.3 g/kg and 853 yr for Sanborn Field, respectively.
Effect of age and time of day on sex attraction and mating of the face fly, Musca autumnalis.

Abstract A well-defined sexual attraction exists between mature virgin female and mature unmated male face flies, Musca autumnalis , tested in a Y-tube olfactometer. Attraction seems to be maximum when females are 5 to 6 days old and males are 4 to 8 days old post emergence. Gonadotrophic cycles probably play a role in the periodicity of the sexual attraction. Attraction as well as insemination reach a peak during the noon hours, gradually decline through the afternoon, and reach a minimum level in the evening. A daily rhythm of sex pheromone release and/or production is most probably present in virgin female flies.
Altered transitional circulation in infants of diabetic mothers with strict antenatal obstetric management: a functional echocardiography study.

Altered transitional circulation in infants of diabetic mothers with strict antenatal obstetric management: a functional echocardiography study
A Ceiling Effect for Communicative Language Teaching

Northwestern Undergraduate Catalogue 2005-0, Vol. xxviii, No. 3, July 2005: Judd A. and Marjorie Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, p. 92. Retrieved September 25, 2005, from http://www. registrar.northwestern.edu/nucatalog/catalog0507/ wcascat0507.pdf Schulz, R. A. (2002). Changing perspectives in foreign language education: Where do we come from? Where are we going? Foreign Language Annals, 35, 285-291. Scott, V. M., & Tucker, H. (Eds.). (2002). SLA and the literature classroom: Fostering dialogues. Boston: Heinle & Heinle.
Compatibilization strategies for upgrading recycled plastics performance: Use of reactive rubbery polymers

One of the inherent problems in the recycling of polymers involves the wide variety of immiscible and incompatible polymer resins. For this reason, it is important to keep scrap from different sources separate, especially if it is known beforehand that the compositions are significantly different. Approaches to upgrading the performance of the scrap streams can then be tailored to each stream. Our work has been based, in part, upon one such approach. Reactive rubbery polymers have been used to modify several recycle streams. These models represent household scrap, business machine housings, and automobile bumpers. Dramatic property improvements can be obtained if specific reactive rubbery polymers are matched to certain recycle streams. Also, it was found that variability in the source and the composition of a given stream over time can dramatically affect results. These findings underscore the inherent difficulty in developing a universal approach to the recycling of mixed plastics.
Consistent unconfined contaminated disposal facilities dike tidal flow and transport model

A two-dimensional time dependent coupled free-boundary numerical model for tidally-induced flow and transport through the dike of a confined disposal facility (CDF) for contaminated sediments is presented in this paper. The model simulations demonstrate the major effect that tidal fluctuations have on the dynamics of the discharge flux. Sensitivity analyses demonstrate that tidal fluctuation hastens the rate of plume migration near the exit face because of the relatively high advective and dispersive fluxes induced by tides. With or without tides, the rate of contaminant migration increases with higher CDF area hydraulic gradient.
Combinatorial Mutations of lac Repressor STABILITY OF MONOMER-MONOMER INTERFACE IS INCREASED BY APOLAR SUBSTITUTION AT POSITION 84

To examine the monomer-monomer subunit interface in the lac repressor, a mutation that generates dimeric protein (deletion of C-terminal amino acids to disrupt the dimer-dimer interface) has been combined with amino acid substitutions that alter the monomer-monomer interface (substitution at Lys84 or Tyr282). Dimeric proteins with significantly increased stability to urea denaturation were formed by the introduction of the apolar amino acids Ala or Leu in lieu of Lys84 in concert with the deletion of 11 C-terminal amino acids. K84A/−11 deletion protein retained wild-type affinity for operator DNA, while K84L/−11 deletion protein displayed operator affinity similar to its parent tetramer. To assess further the influence of monomer-monomer interface stability on assembly and DNA binding, triple mutants were generated with Y282D, an alteration that disrupts assembly completely in the wild-type background. The triple mutants were dimeric, but they exhibited diminished dimer stability to urea denaturation and decreased operator affinity compared with the double mutations. These results demonstrate directly the stabilizing influence of apolar substitution at position 84 on the monomer-monomer interface.
A random-key genetic algorithm for the generalized traveling salesman problem

The generalized traveling salesman problem is a variation of the well-known traveling salesman problem in which the set of nodes is divided into clusters; the objective is to find a minimum-cost tour passing through one node from each cluster. We present an effective heuristic for this problem. The method combines a genetic algorithm (GA) with a local tour improvement heuristic. Solutions are encoded using random keys, which circumvent the feasibility problems encountered when using traditional GA encodings. On a set of 41 standard test problems with symmetric distances and up to 442 nodes, the heuristic found solutions that were optimal in most cases and were within 1% of optimality in all but the largest problems, with computation times generally within 10 seconds. The heuristic is competitive with other heuristics published to date in both solution quality and computation time.
The use of angiogenic factors in discriminating preeclampsia: are they ready for prime time?

Objectives. We sought to evaluate the association between soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt1) and endoglin (ENG) and preeclampsia in an urban population, to develop a discriminatory model, and evaluate the association of these biomarkers with small for gestational age (SGA).Methods. Cases are prospectively identified with preeclampsia. Controls are term patients without preeclampsia. Commercially available ELISAs were used to measure levels of sFlt1, ENG, and placental growth factor (PlGF). Log-transformed levels were compared and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to control for confounders. Receiver operating characteristic curves were developed.Results. In cases (n = 86) compared to controls (n = 288), sFlt1 (p = 0.24) levels were no different. However, ENG levels were higher (p < 0.001), and PlGF levels were lower (p < 0.001). Further, levels of sFlt1 had poor discriminatory ability between cases and controls [AUC = 0.56, (0.48–0.63)]. The best model to discriminate betwe...
Intervention design, implementation, and evaluation.

Purpose. Strategies to improve the design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions in pharmacy practice-based research are discussed. Summary. Various issues inherent in the clinical research continuum explain the lack of research translation into practice settings. The RE-AIM model is used to frame descriptions of strategies to design, implement, and evaluate practice-based research interventions. A major feature of RE-AIM is the shift in focus from short-term efficacy among restricted samples in controlled settings to longer-term effectiveness among more diverse samples in practice settings. The RE-AIM model consists of five dimensions: reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. Various strategies are suggested to optimize an intervention’s reach. In addition to clinical measures, economic, humanistic, and process measures are recommended for measuring and optimizing the effectiveness of an intervention. Adoption is considered an assessment of an intervention’s reach at the organizational level. Assessment of representativeness among participating settings should also be conducted based on key characteristics relevant to a study. Several strategies are suggested to improve stakeholder buy in, thereby increasing the likelihood of intervention adoption. Intervention fidelity is important for maximizing a study’s internal validity and consists of two components: integrity and differentiation. Several factors influence the likelihood and degree of intervention maintenance, including the use of existing personnel to deliver an intervention and evaluation measures that are meaningful to institutional stakeholders. Conclusion. Application of the RE-AIM model’s dimensions can enhance the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of interventions, thus improving the quality and impact of practice-based research.
Bioavailability of selenium from meat and broccoli as determined by retention and distribution of 75Se.

The concentration of selenium (Se), an essential nutrient, is variable in foods, depending, in part, on how and where foods are produced; some foods accumulate substantial amounts of Se when produced on high-Se soils. The chemical form of Se also differs among foods. Broccoli is a Se-accumulating plant that contains many methylated forms of Se, and Se bioavailability from broccoli has been reported to be low. Red meats such as pork or beef could accumulate Se when the animal is fed high-Se diets, and Se from such meats has been reported to be highly bioavailable for selenoprotein synthesis. In a further attempt to characterize the utilization of Se from broccoli and meats such as pork or beef, we have fed rats diets adequate (0.1 µg Se/g diet) in Se or high in Se (1.5 µg S/g diet), with the Se source being either high-Se broccoli or beef. Rats were then given test meals of broccoli or pork intrinsically labeled with 75Se. When dietary Se was nutritionally adequate (0.1 µg/g diet), more 75Se from pork than broccoli was retained in tissues; however, there were no significant differences in whole-body retention when dietary Se was high (1.5 µg/g diet). A significantly greater percentage of 75Se from broccoli than pork was excreted in the urine and dietary Se did not affect urinary excretion of broccoli 75Se, but the amount excreted from pork varied directly with dietary Se intake. Radiolabeled 75Se derived from pork effectively labeled selenoproteins in all tissues examined, but 75Se from broccoli was undetectable in selenoproteins. These differences in retention and distribution of Se from broccoli or pork are consistent with reported differences in bioavailability of Se from beef and broccoli. They also suggest that there are fewer differences in bioavailability when Se is consumed in supranutritional amounts.
COMPLEXATION OF TRYPSIN AND ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE WITH POLY(DIALLYLDIMETHYLAMMONIUM CHLORIDE)

Complexation of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and trypsin with poly(diallyldimethyl-ammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) in dilute electrolyte solution was studied by turbidimetric titration, quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS), and electrophoretic light scattering (ELS). Both QELS and turbidimetric titration show that PDADMAC forms complexes with ADH and trypsin in 0.01M NaCl solution at pH ≥ 6.8 and pH ≥ 9.2, respectively. These complexes take the form of stable coacervates in 0.01M, pH 11.0, phosphate buffer solution. QELS shows sizes of 400 and 315 nm for the coacervates of ADH-PDMDAAC and trypsin-PDMDAAC, respectively, while ELS reveals that these coacervates carry a net positive charge. Activity measurements show that both ADH and trypsin are enzymatically active in their coacervated states. Complexation of trypsin and PDADMAC was also studied by fluorescence in 0.01M, pH 11.0, phosphate buffer, and the protein emission was found to be quenched by complexation. The fluorescence quenching data show that trypsin retains its three-dimensional structure in the complex. These and other results are consistent with the quenching of the two tryptophans on the protein surface, but not the interior ones.© 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Carbanions from decarboxylation of orotate analogs: stability and mechanistic implications.

Abstract The p K a ’s of the 6-CH groups of 1,3-dimethyluracil, N -methyl-2-pyridone, and N -methyl-4-pyridone were determined through their reactions with bases derived from carbon acids with known p K a and the reactions of their corresponding carbanions with the carbon acids. No correlation between the stability of the carbanions and the rate of decarboxylation of corresponding carboxylic acids was found.
Coevolution of Body Form and Reproductive Effort in Shorebirds (Aves: Charadriiformes)

In order to test for co-evolution of reproductive life history with body form, cluster analysis applied to nine skeletal measurements was used to identify three distinctive body types within the avian order Charadriiformes: a “sandpiper” type, a “gull/plover” type, and an “auk” type. Both in conventional analyses and in phylogenetically independent contrasts, the sandpiper body type was associated with increased values of a mass-adjusted measure of clutch volume and with decreased adult survival. A hypothesis that would explain the results is that increased reproductive effort characterizes charadriiform species with morphological features such as long bills and legs that render them vulnerable to predation, consistent with the hypothesis that reproductive effort represents a trade-off between current and future reproductive opportunities.
Tree structure and cavity microclimate: implications for bats and birds

It is widely assumed that tree cavity structure and microclimate affect cavity selection and use in cavity-dwelling bats and birds. Despite the interest in tree structure and microclimate, the relationship between the two has rarely been quantified. Currently available data often comes from artificial structures that may not accurately represent conditions in natural cavities. We collected data on tree cavity structure and microclimate from 45 trees in five cypress-gum swamps in the Coastal Plain of Georgia in the United States in 2008. We used hierarchical linear models to predict cavity microclimate from tree structure and ambient temperature and humidity, and used Aikaike’s information criterion to select the most parsimonious models. We found large differences in microclimate among trees, but tree structure variables explained 80 % of variation common to all trees. We argue that the determinants of microclimate are complex and multidimensional, and therefore cavity microclimate cannot be deduced easily from simple tree structures. Furthermore, we found that daily fluctuations in ambient conditions strongly affect microclimate, indicating that greater weather fluctuations will cause greater differences among tree cavities.
Influence of inorganic phosphate and organic buffers on cephalosporin production by Streptomyces clavuligerus.

A high concentration of potassium phosphate (75–100 mM) stabilized pH and supported extensive growth of Streptomyces clavuligerus in a chemically defined medium; such a concentration also inhibited cephalosporin production. Although Tris buffer was found to have detrimental effects on growth and antibiotic production, 3-(N-morpholino)-propane sulfonate (MOPS) or 2-(N-morpholino)-ethane sulfonate (MES) buffer provided a nontoxic buffering system. In the presence of MOPS buffer, cephalosporin production was optimal at 25 mM phosphate, whereas higher concentrations of phosphate progressively inhibited antibiotic production up to 85% without modifying the pH pattern. MOPS buffer can be used to conduct fermentations at a relatively constant pH value in shake flasks.
Toward a New Understanding of Nature, Reality, and the Sacred: A Syllabus

Adjustments in the understanding of the relation of religion and science since the Enlightenment require new considerations in epistemology and metaphysics. Constructionist theories of knowledge and process theories of metaphysics better provide the new paradigms needed both to preserve and to limit the significance of each field of human understanding. In a course taught at Moravian College, this perspective is applied to the concepts of nature, reality, and the sacred, with a view to showing how we might develop one such paradigm. Key resources for this task are to be found in the work of artist Rene Magritte; theologians Langdon Gilkey, Arthur Peacocke, and John Haught; philosophers and historians of science Alfred North Whitehead, Timothy Ferris, Ernan Mc Mullin, and Ian Barbour; philosopher of religion Paul Ricoeur; and historians of religion Rudolph Otto and Mircea Eliade. Such a new paradigm calls for an ecologically sensitive religious awareness which is both sacramental and holistic.
Pattern of daily blood ethanol elevation and the development of physical dependence

Schedule-induced ethanol polydipsia regimens were used which produced either one or two daily peaks in blood ethanol levels. After 3 months on these regimens, rats were withdrawn from ethanol and tested for the presence of abstinence signs. No evidence of physical dependence was found, a result which contrasted with the previous finding of a severe withdrawal syndrome when blood ethanol was maintained at a more continuously elevated level prior to withdrawal. It was concluded that, as in the case of barbiturates, the development of physical dependence on ethanol requires more than an episodic peaking of the blood ethanol level once or twice per day.