cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Between Slavery and Taste: A Response

My interlocutors have done a good job of pointing out the cluster of concerns that drove me to make what was initially supposed to be a short excursus into the library of slavery and enslavement. They are right to note, explicitly or implicitly, that my concern was not the institution of slavery (of which much has been written about), nor the experience of enslavement (who has the authority to bear witness to unspeakable events?). Mine was an allegory of reading, one that sought to understand the inscription and imagination of bondage in the extensive library left behind by both masters and by slaves (to the extent that they could). I considered this library to be the depository of a certain narrative of modernity that could only be accessed through its symptoms, left behind as traces, fragments, images, and fictions of the self. The four reviewers provide us with a good map of my readings or misreading of this library. They note that my book is structured by a desire to understand two archives—that of enslavement and taste—as both connected and disconnected in the making of modern culture in the long eighteenth century. They note that my book is informed by a long standing problematic in African criticism, first evident in Paul Gilroy’s Black Atlantic—how to account for the place of Africa and African discourses in the making of the Atlantic world. My interlocutors further note that what is at stake in this reading or rereading of the past is nothing less than the terms into which a modern subject emerges at the interstices of bondage and freedom. Sometimes the reviewers are puzzled by my intellectual preferences: why focus on the culture of slavery on the West African coast instead of the interior (Adeako)? Why do I work with a frame that seems to obscure the complex, dialectical relationship between masters and slaves (Harrow)? Why does a discourse that set out to expose the mutual imbrication of slavery and taste seem to leave them separate on the conceptual level (Quayson)? Why do I seem to insist on a rhetoric of newness when it comes to the study of margins in the making of centers when others have been there before me (Tejumola)? When I started reflecting on the relationship between slavery and enslavement and their separation in the conceptual sphere, even when they were constantly brought together in everyday life, I was thinking about the larger problem of explanation and of the disciplinary formation in which making sense of things takes place. My initial target was the philosophers of freedom (Immanuel Kant and David Hume, for example), who seemed so keen to get to the desired ideal
Femininity and Depression Mediated by Social and Relational Aggression in Late Adolescence

Although studies have found a relation between the use of relational aggression and depressive symptomatology, there is less evidence for the relation of the role of gender identity in these processes. Consequently, this study investigated the roles of social and relational aggression and feminine gender role identity in depressive symptoms among late adolescent females. For this study, authors designed and tested a model through path analysis, which involved the variables of femininity, relational aggression, and social aggression. Six hundred and ninety-seven female college students completed the Beck Depression Inventory—Second Edition, the Young Adult Social Behavior Scale, and the Bem Sex Role Inventory. Results indicated that although femininity is unrelated to relational and social aggression, the use of social and relational aggression by more feminine late adolescent females relates to higher levels of depression in this sample.
Ticks parasitizing reptiles in the Bahamas.

Two species of reptile ticks, Amblyomma dissimile Koch and Amblyomma torrei Perez Vigueras (Acari: Ixodidae), are reported from the Bahama Islands for the first time. The widespread neotropical (including the Caribbean and southern Florida) A. dissimile was recovered on Andros Island from three species of reptiles all for the first time: the Andros iguana Cyclura cychlura cychlura Cuvier, the Andros curly tail lizard Leiocephalus carinatus coryi Schmidt, and the Andros boa Epicrates striatus fowleri Sheplan and Schwartz. The iguana tick A. torrei, previously known only from Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Cayman Islands, was recovered in the Exuma Islands from the Exuma iguana Cyclura cychlura figginsi Barbour. Mean numbers of ticks per host were as high as 36.6 on Mangrove Cay, Andros Island, and 25.8 on Pasture Cay in the Exuma Islands.
Generating random series with known values of Kendall's tau.

Abstract Kendall's tau a offers statistical advantages to the more common Pearson's correlation and both are common in biomedical research. While generating random X – Y pairs from a known population value of Pearson's correlation is straightforward, the process for generating random sequences for a known value of Kendall's tau a is more complicated. Algorithms are presented that yield random numbers from a population with a known expected τ a . They begin with a small set of values that have a known τ . These values are ‘grown’ to produce an arbitrarily large population that has the same expectation as the smaller set. Two examples are given. One example simulated samples from a population where τ a equaled 0.33 and confidence intervals are produced. A second example illustrates how the algorithm can be used to provide statistical power estimates for research studies using Kendall's τ a .
Troxler effect with dichoptic stimulus presentations: evidence for binocular inhibitory summation and interocular suppression.

Abstract Whether the Troxler effect (TE) has to do with interocular suppression and/or summation was studied with dichoptically matched (binocular or dioptic) and unmatched (monocular) stimulus presentations. Perceptual disappearance was found to occur more slowly under the binocular condition (mean = 14.2 s) than the monocular condition (mean = 8.4 s), but much faster than predicted by probability summation of the experimentally obtained latencies and durations of the TE in the monocular conditions (>27 s), suggesting a binocular inhibitory summation, the opposite of the binocular summation found with detection and contrast matching tasks [(Blake, R., & Fox, R. (1973). The psychological inquiry into binocular summation. Perception and Psychophysics, 14 , 161–185; Blake, R., Sloane, M., & Fox, R. (1981). Further developments in binocular summation. Perception & Psychophysics 30 , 266–276.)]. In addition, Ss with poorer stereoacuity took longer to see the disappearance in the monocular condition, and showed a larger disparity between the TEs from the two monocular conditions, suggesting a contribution of interocular suppression to the TE.
Teachers’ assessment literacy and attitudes

Abstract Teachers use various assessment methods to make decisions in their classrooms. This study focused on the relationship between teachers’ knowledge about educational assessment and their attitudes toward various forms of assessment. One hundred seventeen inservice teachers responded to questions on a data collection instrument. Analytical methods included canonical correlation and other correlational procedures. Results from the study indicate that knowledge about educational assessment is moderately related to current attitudes toward assessment. The implications of these results are considered within the context of providing quality training in educational measurement for inservice teachers.
Evaluation of [11C]N-Methyl Lansoprazole as a Radiopharmaceutical for PET Imaging of Tau Neurofibrillary Tangles

[11C]N-Methyl lansoprazole ([11C]NML, 3) was synthesized and evaluated as a radiopharmaceutical for quantifying tau neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) burden using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. [11C]NML was synthesized from commercially available lansoprazole in 4.6% radiochemical yield (noncorrected RCY, based upon [11C]MeI), 99% radiochemical purity, and 16095 Ci/mmol specific activity (n = 5). Log P was determined to be 2.18. A lack of brain uptake in rodent microPET imaging revealed [11C]NML to be a substrate for the rodent permeability-glycoprotein 1 (PGP) transporter, but this could be overcome by pretreating with cyclosporin A to block the PGP. Contrastingly, [11C]NML was not found to be a substrate for the primate PGP, and microPET imaging in rhesus revealed [11C]NML uptake in the healthy primate brain of ∼1600 nCi/cc maximum at 3 min followed by rapid egress to 500 nCi/cc. Comparative autoradiography between wild-type rats and transgenic rats expressing human tau (hTau +/+) revealed 12% h...
Asperity micro-contact models as applied to the deformation of rough line contact

Different statistical micro-contact models including Greenwood–Williamson (GW), Chang–Etsion–Bogy (CEB), Zhou–Maietta–Chang (ZMC), Kogut–Etsion (KE) and Jackson–Green (JG) are employed together with the bulk deformation of the bounding solids to predict dry rough line-contact characteristics such as the apparent pressure profile, contact width and real area of contact. The approach involves solving the micro-contact models and separation formulas simultaneously. Comparison of different contact models reveals that the use of elastic–plastic micro-contact models predicts a lower maximum normal pressure and a greater contact width and real contact area compared to the GW model. Further, based on the results of numerical simulations, useful relationships are provided for the prediction of the maximum contact pressure, contact width, real area of contact and pressure distribution.
Interference Networks With no CSIT: Impact of Topology

We consider partially connected $K$ -user interference networks, where the transmitters have no knowledge about the channel gain values, but they are aware of network topology. We introduce several linear algebraic and graph theoretic concepts to derive new topology-based outer bounds and inner bounds on the symmetric degrees-of-freedom of these networks. We evaluate our bounds for two classes of networks to demonstrate their tightness for most networks in these classes, quantify the gain of our inner bounds over benchmark interference management strategies, and illustrate the effect of network topology on these gains.
A First Step Toward Solving the Problem of Special Education Dropouts Infusing Career Education into the Curriculum

111 1 1 1 o r e ^ l a n 42.2% °f m e students identified with 1 1 mm behavioral disorders and 63.9% of those idenmmmm ^fied a s h a v m g learning disabilities drop out I Ws Jj of school each year (Council for Exceptional I W I Children, 1994; U.S. Department of Education, 1992, 1993, 1994). When these students drop out, they are usually unprepared to earn a living, to live independently, or to be contributing members of the community. They do not do well in the workplace in terms of employment and earning power because they are usually only qualified for entry-level, part-time jobs in which they make minimum wage (Okolo & Sitlington, 1988; Wehman, 1995). Even students with mild disabilities experience higher unemployment rates than the general population, both during and after high school (Edgar, 1988; National Transition Longitudinal Study, 1994; Wehman, 1995). Nor do the majority of these students enter other training programs. Only 17% of students with behavior disorders attend postsecondary school programs, compared to almost 50% of students without disabilities (Knitzer, Steinberg, & Fleisch, 1990). We should be more concerned with the increasing number of students with disabilities who are dropping out of school because too many of these young people are not well served by the traditional academic education model (Roessler, 1991), nor are they well served by existing special education programs (Edgar, 1988). What can teachers do to combat these depressing dropout statistics?
In pursuit of folly

Despite the agreement of most of the professional organizations that are concerned with medical education and health manpower that there is an increasing physician surplus, little has been done to address this problem. The number of entering first-year residency positions has remained relatively stable during the past several years, with the number of applicants consistently in excess of the number of positions. Nonetheless, national or state incentives to decrease the number of residency positions have been criticized frequently. The reasons for the physician surplus, the resistance to adjusting the size of residency training efforts, and the feasibility of existing solutions to balance physician supply with demand are critically reviewed.
Correlates and Antecedents of Parental Psychological Control in Early Adolescence

SYNOPSIS Objective. This study tests family contextual experiences and mother and child attributes as correlates and antecedents of mothers' psychologically controlling behavior with their early adolescents. Design. During in-home interviews, 218 early adolescents and their mothers reported their perceptions of the mothers' psychological control. Mothers and adolescents also reported relevant personal attributes. Results. Correlations show the expected patterns of associations between the predictor sets and psychological control at ages 11 and 12. Cross-sectional regression analyses show that the age 11 predictor variables explained 14% of the variance in age 11 adolescent-reported psychological control. Child attributes were the only unique predictors of psychological control. In contrast, the predictors accounted for 15% of the variance in mother-reported psychological control with both contextual factors and mother attributes explaining unique variance in psychological control. Evidence of longitudinal...
Introduction of visually oriented information handouts in an academic pediatric otolaryngology practice.

Objectives To characterize after-hours postoperative caregiver telephone calls received by on-call otolaryngology residents and to determine the feasibility of using visually oriented handouts to affect postoperative telephone call volume. Study design and setting We conducted a prospective, before-after feasibility study at a tertiary-care children’s hospital. Visually oriented handouts describing expected postoperative courses were distributed preoperatively to the parents of all adenotonsillectomy and tympanostomy tube patients. Postoperative caregiver telephone call volume and content were recorded before and after handout introduction. Results The handouts were well accepted and viewed favorably by caregivers, and they led to some changes in the nature of postoperative telephone call content, but call log compliance was not adequate to fully assess the impact on call volume and content. Conclusions We demonstrated the feasibility of implementing visually oriented informational handouts and characterized the nature of postoperative caregiver telephone calls received by on-call residents in an academic pediatric otolaryngology practice. Significance Visually oriented instructional handouts may have benefits that deserve further study. Data from this study can help plan a definitive clinical trial.
Influence of phase-related variability in premenstrual symptomatology, mood, smoking withdrawal, and smoking behavior during ad libitum smoking, on smoking cessation outcome

Abstract Emerging evidence suggests that women have a more difficult time quitting smoking than men—possibly due, in part, to sex hormones. The present study characterized mood, premenstrual symptomatology, and smoking withdrawal, as well as smoking behavior, in the follicular and luteal phases during ad libitum smoking in 25 women intending to quit. We also investigated the possible influence of phase-related variability in these measures on likelihood of study adherence and smoking cessation. We found that premenstrual symptomatology, as well as some measures of mood and smoking withdrawal, were significantly higher during the luteal phase than in the follicular phase. Cigarettes/day did not vary by menstrual cycle phase. Phase-related variability in premenstrual symptomatology [ F (3, 20) = 2.82, p = 0.0650)] and urge to smoke [ F (2, 21) = 4.85, p = 0.0186)] were associated with relapse. These data support the inference that sex hormones influence smoking cessation outcome. This knowledge may contribute to the development of more rational and effective smoking cessation interventions for women.
Scanning tunneling microscopic (STM) analysis of the phospholipid bilayer surface characteristics in the P beta phase. Secondary ripples.

Previous investigations have elaborated on the necessity for dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) molecules to conform in a ripple phase at the temperature intermediate between the transition and pretransition in order to protect the hydrophilic-hydrophobic polarity of the bilayer. Present observations, in addition to the asymmetric Pβ phase of 11.1±1.3nm wave-length, demonstrate orthogonal corrugations perpendicular to the main wave direction. Whether this is a prerequisite for maintaining the molecular orderdisorder balance at such specific temperature, or it results from yet unknown source is unclear at present.
RECURRENCE OF IDIOPATHIC NEPHROTIC SYNDROME AFTER RENAL TRANSPLANTATION

Abstract Three patients with steroid-resistant idiopathic nephrotic syndrome were studied at onset and during recurrent nephrotic syndrome after renal transplantation. Renal biopsies at the onset of the nephrotic syndrome showed typical features of the idiopathic nephrotic syndrome; no or minimal focal glomerular abnormalities were present by light microscopy and glomerular-basement-oriented deposits were not demonstrated by immunofluorescent or electron microscopy. Progression to renal failure occurred in 2, 2, and 6 years. Recurrence of nephrotic syndrome was noted 1, 11/2, and 5 months after transplantation. Renal biopsies done 11/2, 5, and 7 months after transplantation when proteinuria was 12·8, 7·6, and 8·5 g. per 24 hours, respectively, showed minimal or no glomerular abnormalities by light microscopy. Immunofluorescent and electron microscopic studies revealed no evidence suggesting immunological injury. Subsequent kidney specimens after transplantation obtained from two of these patients with recurrent nephrotic syndrome showed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis limited primarily to the juxtamedullary glomeruli—a feature further suggesting recurrence of the original disease in the transplanted kidney. These observations suggest that the pathogenesis of the steroid-resistant idiopathic nephrotic syndrome may involve systemic circulating factors; this hypothesis would account for development of a recurrent nephrotic syndrome in the transplanted kidney.
Laparoendoscopic approaches to occult gastrointestinal bleeding.

Identification of sites of small bowel hemorrhage remains a difficult problem. Endoscopy performed in association with surgery often proves successful when other attempts have failed. In attempts to minimize morbidity and even increase accuracy, surgeons have explored combining laparoscopic techniques with endoscopy. Although published experiences remain few, expectations remain high. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Cross sections for electron-impact excitation of Krypton

Electron-impact excitation cross sections for Kr have been measured by means of the optical method over a range of incident-electron energies between onset and 250 eV. By measuring cascade transitions into the ${4p}^{5}5p$ levels from higher-lying levels and subtracting this contribution from the observed transitions out of the ${4p}^{5}5p$ levels, we are able to determine the cross sections for direct electron excitation into the ten levels of the ${4p}^{5}5p$ configuration $(2p$ in Paschen's notation). The general trends of these cross sections for Kr are compared with previous measurements from our labs on Ne, Ar, and Xe. We note that the optical emission cross sections for transitions from levels resonant with the ground level vary with gas pressure. Fitting this observed pressure dependence to a simple model allows us to test theoretical values of the transition coefficients for these levels.
Thin Polymer Films with High Step Coverage in Microtrenches by Initiated CVD

Initiated (i)CVD is used to deposit thin films of poly(cyclohexylmethacrylate) (pCHMA) in microtrenches of depth 7 µm and widths 1-5 µm. By changing the fractional saturation of the monomer vapor, step coverage of 0.85 is achieved for the highest aspect ratio trench studied while maintaining a deposition rate of 15 nm min−1. An analytical model for determining the sticking probability of the initiating radical (CH3)3CO· is developed, and is experimentally shown to be a function of the fractional saturation of the monomer vapor. For the conditions studied, the sticking probability is in the range 1.1 × 10−2–5.0 × 10−2. These results suggest that iCVD proceeds via the reaction of a vapor-phase initiating radical with a surface-adsorbed monomer.
Active and Inactive Renin in Low Renin States: Studies in Human Plasma

Low PRA and active renin (AR) may be accompanied by low inactive renin (IR), indicating impaired renin production, or by normal or elevated IR, suggesting defective conversion to AR. To explore these possibilities, plasma AR and IR (acid activation method) were measured in normal volunteers and in patients with low PRA. All low renin states showed significant low PRA and AR when compared to normals; on the other hand, IR was 11.8 +/- 1.1 ng/ml.h in normals; low in primary aldosteronism (2.1 +/- 0.5 ng/ml.h) and anephric subjects; normal in low renin essential hypertension (7.5 +/- 1.3 ng/ml.h), nondiabetic hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism (9.4 +/- 1.6 ng/ml.h) and diabetic hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism (17.3 +/- 2.5 ng/ml.h); and significantly elevated in diabetics with nephropathy (21.0 +/- 1.6 ng/ml.h). The acute iv infusion of 2 liters saline in normal subjects did not decrease IR (11.8 +/- 2.0 vs. 13.0 +/- 1.8 ng/ml.h) despite a reduction in PRA and AR of 50-75%. These data indicate that in cases of primary aldosteronism and in anephric subjects both AR and IR are decreased, suggesting a decrease in total renal synthesis or release, whereas in low renin essential hypertension, nondiabetic hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism, diabetic hyporeninemic aldosteronism, and diabetics with nephropathy AR is low and IR is normal or high, suggesting the possibility of impaired conversion to AR.
Improvement of a standard-free method for near-infrared calibration transfer

Previously, a standard-free method using the finite impulse response (FIR) filter was successfully employed to transfer the NIR spectra of caustic brines, analgesics, and terpolymer resins. This paper carries the FIR transfer method one step further, leading to an improved algorithm that makes the transfer more robust and general by avoiding transfer artifacts in the filtered spectra. Investigations of the theoretical aspects and application examples of diffuse reflectance NIR datasets show that in comparison with our previous version the improved method is much easier to use and gives artifact-free transferred spectra. The improved method also compares favorably with other current signal correction methods for calibration transfer. With the additional advantage of not requiring a subset of standards to be measured on main and remote instruments, the proposed method is a very useful alternative for calibration transfer.
Stability analysis of vascular endothelial growth factor in cerebrospinal fluid.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a promising biological marker and prognostic indicator in many neurological diseases. Although VEGF concentrations in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are increasingly reported, CSF-VEGF stability pre- and during-assay procedures is seldom evaluated. In the current study, we investigated VEGF variability and stability in CSF related to sample preparation, storage, and routine experimental procedures. Results showed that contaminant cell breakdown or aggregation can occur gradually before sample processing. However, after the removal of contaminant cell components, CSF-VEGF levels did not show significant changes in samples incubated at room temperature for 5 h, thawed/refrozen for 6 cycles. Samples preserved at −80°C for up to 7 years continued to show measurable levels. Since some cellular components such as platelets contain a large amount of releasable VEGF, we conclude that CSF samples should be processed as soon as possible to carefully remove all cellular components and prevent possible consequent release of VEGF into CSF. After centrifugation to remove cellular contents, VEGF in CSF was relatively stable during routine experimental procedures and storage.
Application of Diffuse Reflectance FT-IR Spectroscopy for the Surface Study of Kevlar Fibers

The surfaces of Kevlar-49 aramid fibers, being used in high-performance composite materials, have been characterized by diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Enhancement of the surface selectivity of the technique has been achieved using KBr overlayers. The water absorbed by both the skin and the core of the fibers has been characterized by using this technique and the accessibility of the fiber functional groups has been evaluated.
Research Spotlight: Assessing phosphorus reduction efforts in the Everglades

[1] Years of agricultural and urban runoff have resulted in too much phosphorus in northern regions of the Florida Everglades. To deal with this problem, very large constructed wetlands, known as Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs), have been built to strip phosphorus from runoff before the water enters protected Everglades areas. The more than $1 billion STA project currently relies on large areas (cells) of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) to absorb phosphorus as the final stage of treatment. To evaluate how well the treatment cells are functioning, as well as the potential lower limits of treatment, it is essential to have an accurate picture of the inflows, outflows, and background phosphorus levels. Juston and DeBusk made long-term measurements in one of the SAV cells. They found that after total phosphorous levels in the cells reached about 15 micrograms per liter, no more phosphorus removal occurred. They also analyzed inflow and outflow data from the cell and inferred background phosphorus concentrations for eight additional SAV cells. Background concentrations averaged around 16 micrograms per liter. (Water Resources Research, doi:10.1029/2010WR009294, 2011)
THE ZERO-MACH LIMIT OF COMPRESSIBLE FLOWS

We prove that compressible Navier-Stokes flows in two and three space dimensions converge to incompressible Navier-Stokes flows in the limit as the Mach number tends to zero. No smallness restrictions are imposed on the external force, the initial velocity, or the time interval. We assume instead that the incompressible flow exists and is reasonably smooth on a given time interval, and prove that compressible flows with compatible initial data converge uniformly on that time interval. Our analysis shows that the essential mechanism in this process is a hyperbolic effect which becomes stronger with smaller Mach number and which ultimately drives the density to a constant.
Agent mediated electronic commerce research at Hewlett Packard Labs, Bristol

Agent technology is a key enabling component in bringing about Hewlett-Packard e-services vision, and for that reason, HP Labs is making significant investments in research in this area. Work on agent technology at HP labs includes agent-mediated B2B e-commerce, distributed agent-based personalization, agent-based trading of Internet bandwidth, automated auction design, mobile agents, user profiling and FIPA standardization activities, among other things. In this article, we describe our work on Agent-mediated B2B e-commerce. We do that based on the lifecycle of a B2B interaction in which the contract plays a fundamental role. The lifecycle comprises the stages of matchmaking, negotiation, contract formation and contract fulfillment. We highlight our research in each of these areas and in service composition.
‘Push’ versus ‘pull’ factors in migration outflows and returns: Determinants of migration status and spell duration among China's rural population

The tremendous abundance of labour in rural areas is one of the most perplexing issues currently facing policy‐makers in the People's Republic of China. Central and municipal authorities fear that large‐scale labour movement out of rural China will have politically and socially destabilising effects on the cities and towns to which workers migrate. Recognising that there may be positive economic aspects associated with rural labour outflow, this research seeks to shed light on the transfer process with an emphasis on identifying the factors which motivate the observed frequent movement of migrants between their origin and destination points. Using household data collected in rural China, we investigate both out migration and return migration decisions. We demonstrate that observed migration patterns are the outcome of informed, rational responses to an environment filled with uncertainty and incomplete markets. To the extent that policymakers wish to minimise the more transient component of rural out‐migr...
Future abortion provision among US graduating obstetrics and gynecology residents, 2004.

Abstract Background This study was conducted to identify characteristics associated with US obstetric and gynecology graduating residents' intention to provide pregnancy termination services in their clinical practice. Study Design In this cross-sectional study, we surveyed all 1148 fourth-year residents in obstetrics and gynecology graduating from US training programs in 2004. Results Of 494 respondents, 187 (39%) planned to perform elective abortions after residency. In multivariable analysis controlling for various factors, the following were independently associated with plans to perform pregnancy termination in the future: pre-residency intentions to provide pregnancy termination [odds ratio (OR), 10; 95% confidence interval (CI), 5.3–18.9; p Conclusions Intentions before residency to provide pregnancy termination services was the strongest predictor of future abortion provision.
Role of basolateral efflux transporter MRP4 in the intestinal absorption of the antiviral drug adefovir dipivoxil.

Abstract Adefovir dipivoxil is a diester prodrug of the antiviral drug adefovir, with much greater oral bioavailability than adefovir. Evidence shows that the prodrug is metabolized to adefovir in the enterocytes during intestinal absorption. However, it is unknown how the highly charged and hydrophilic adefovir crosses the basolateral membrane in the intestine. This study determines the role of specific basolateral transporter(s) in the egress of adefovir across the basolateral membrane when formed from adefovir dipivoxil in Caco-2 cells, a model for intestinal epithelium. Multidrug resistance-associated protein 4 (MRP4) plays an important role in renal secretion of adefovir. Immunofluorescence images showed that MRP4 is localized in the basolateral membrane of Caco-2 cells. This localization was further confirmed by Western blotting of the apical and basolateral membrane fractions that were isolated by a novel method involving biotinylation of respective membrane proteins and affinity enrichment. MRP4-knockdown Caco-2 cells were produced by stable transfection with MRP4-specific siRNA expression plasmid. These cells showed reduced MRP4 protein expression and corresponding reduction in the basolateral egress of adefovir when adefovir dipivoxil was dosed on the apical side. A comparison of these data with the reduction in the basolateral egress of adefovir by the general MRP inhibitor indomethacin established that MRP4, among MRPs, plays a predominant role in the basolateral egress of adefovir in Caco-2 cells. The results highlight the importance of MRP4 in oral absorption of adefovir dipivoxil, and suggest that significant drug–drug interactions can occur if an MRP4 inhibitor is co-administered with adefovir dipivoxil.
Risks For Efficiency: Comprehensive Reform of Direct Regulation

Conflicting models of regulatory decision making/legislative choice are presented and evaluated. A limited nationality model oriented to the common good is proposed as more complete and no less accurate than alternatives. The implication of this model is that many regulatory policies are mistakes and that under specified conditions these mistakes may be avoided or corrected.
Cardiac resynchronization therapy: who benefits?

Abstract Background Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been well established in multiple large trials to improve symptoms, hospitalizations, reverse remodeling, and mortality in well-selected patients with heart failure when used in addition to optimal medical therapy. Updated consensus guidelines outline patients in whom such therapy is most likely to result in substantial benefit. However, pooled data have demonstrated that only approximately 70% of patients who qualify for CRT based on current indications actually respond favorably. In addition, current guidelines are based on outcomes from the carefully selected patients enrolled in clinical trials, and almost certainly fail to include all patients who might benefit from CRT. Findings The identification of patients most likely to benefit from CRT requires consideration of factors beyond these standard criteria, QRS morphology with particular consideration in patients with left bundle-branch block pattern, extent of QRS prolongation, etiology of cardiomyopathy, rhythm, and whether the patient requires or will eventually need antibradycardia pacing. In addition, the baseline severity of functional impairment may influence the type of benefit to be expected from CRT; for example, New York Heart Association class I patients may derive long-term benefit in cardiac structure and function, but no benefit in symptoms or hospitalizations can be reasonably expected. In contrast, certain New York Heart Association class IV patients may be too sick to realize long-term mortality benefits from CRT, but improvements in hemodynamic profile and functional capacity may represent vital advances in this population. Conclusion This review evaluates the evidence regarding the various factors that can predict positive or even detrimental responses to CRT, to help better determine who benefits most from this evolving therapy.
Energy transfer between photosynthetic units analyzed by flash oxygen yield vs. flash intensity.

— Relative yield of O2 (Y) was measured in Chlorella pyrenoidosa in response to varied intensity (l) of single 10μsec flashes on a constant low background of 710 nm light. Analysis is based on the proposition that the photochemical event leading to O2 evolution occurs at a reaction center or trap which requires a time much longer than the flash for regeneration by dark reactions. Hence O2, flash yield measures the number of traps ‘killed’ and allows treatment in terms of target theory. Data for Y vs. l were analyzed by computer fitting to four models. The first three models supposed that each unit (aggregate of light-harvesting pigment molecules) contains one, two, and three traps, respectively, and allows no transfer of excitation energy out of the unit. The last model supposed only one trap per unit and a probability of transfer out of a unit with closed trap. Among the first three models, the data best fit the one with two traps per unit. A slightly better fit for two traps per unit was obtained by introducing a trapping efficiency less than unity. An equally good fit was also obtained with the model of the Joliots with a probability of 0.3 that excitation energy in a unit with closed trap is transferred to another unit. Uncertainties in analysis arose from the necessity of treating maximum flash yield as an estimated parameter and by the possible inhomogeneity in units and traps.
Sequential designs for a Poisson regression model

The locally D-optimal design for the two-variable interaction Poisson regression model is not robust to parameter misspecification. To deal with this issue, a sequential design approach is investigated. Simulation is used to evaluate the sequential design. It is found that the sequential design is very efficient and quite robust to parameter misspecification on both unrestricted and restricted design regions.
Familial cholesterolemia in pigeons

Abstract Selection utilizing a positive assortive mating plan was used to develop high and low serum cholesterol lines in Racing Homer and White Carneau pigeons. The mean serum cholesterol value (MSCV) of both high lines was increased, but only the Low White Carneau line was decreased. By the third generation, the MSCV of the High White Carneau line had reached 390 ± 8.3 mg/100 ml. This was significantly higher ( P > 0.05) than the MSCV, 297 ± 6.7, of the Low White Carneau line. Both values were significantly different (P > 0.05) from the MSCV, 321 ± 5.6, of the original White Carneau population. The third generation of the High Racing Homer line had a MSCV of 405 ± 9.2, which was significantly higher ( P > 0.05) than 311 ± 6.0, the MSCV of the Low Racing Homer line. Only the MSCV of the high line differed significantly ( P > 0.05) from the MSCV, 289 ± 12.0, of the original Racing Homer population. Heritability estimates of the serum cholesterol level for three generations of each breed were calculated. The heritability estimate for the Racing Homer Breed was 0.51 ± 0.06, while the White Carneau estimate was 0.52 ± 0.06. The combined heritability estimate for both breeds was 0.51 ± 0.04.
Importance of hemodynamic response to therapy in predicting survival with ejection fraction ≤ 20% secondary to ischemic or nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy

To identify patients with left ventricular ejection fractions less than 20% who are likely to survive on tailored medical therapy after referral to transplantation, this study of 152 patients addressed the hypotheses that (1) severely elevated filling pressures initially measured at referral would not necessarily predict poor outcome, (2) survival would be best when low pulmonary wedge pressures could be achieved with therapy tailored for hemodynamic goals, and (3) coronary artery disease would be an independent risk factor for early mortality. Despite an average initial ejection fraction of 0.15, cardiac index of 2.0 liters/min/m2 and pulmonary artery wedge pressure of 28 mm Hg, the actuarial survival with tailored therapy was 63% at 1 year, with 34 of 41 (83%) deaths occurring suddenly. Survival was not related to initial filling pressure elevation, but was best predicted by the pulmonary artery wedge pressures during therapy; patients achieving pressure of less than or equal to 16 mm Hg had 1-year survival of 83 vs 38% (p = 0.0001). The other independent predictors were serum sodium and coronary artery disease. Patients with high filling pressures during therapy and coronary artery disease had 21% survival at 1 year. Survival after referral to transplantation with an ejection fraction less than or equal to 20% is better than previously described. Patients in whom left ventricular filling pressures cannot be adequately reduced by tailored therapy, particularly if coronary artery disease is present, should be considered for early transplantation.
Retrospective evaluation of crib-biting and windsucking behaviours and owner-perceived behavioural traits as risk factors for colic in horses

Summary Reasons for performing study: Although crib-biting (cribbing)/windsucking has previously been associated with 2 types of colic, additional research into the possible role of other behaviours on incidence of colic by type and severity has not been undertaken. Objectives: To investigate: a relationship between cribbing/windsucking and colic; a relationship between cribbing/windsucking and different types of colic, both medical and surgical; and whether horses displaying specific behaviour traits were more likely to have had colic. Methods: A matched case-control retrospective study was conducted evaluating horses with various surgical and medical colic diagnoses, admitted to a referral hospital over a 3 year period. Computerised records and a validated internet questionnaire were used to obtain information on owner-perceived behavioural traits and repetitive behaviours. Results: Cribbing/windsucking was significantly associated with colic but was unassociated with one category or severity of colic over another. No other repetitive behaviour was associated with colic. Age (≥20 years) was significantly associated with colic. An anxious temperament was not associated with risk of colic. Conclusion: Animals at higher risk for colic may be identified based on history of cribbing/windsucking behaviour, but this behaviour was unassociated with increased risk for a particular category or severity of colic. Horses characterised as being more anxious were not at increased risk for colic. Potential relevance: There is a need to elucidate a causal relationship between cribbing/windsucking and gastrointestinal function as development of more effective and humane strategies to treat cribbing/windsucking behaviour may help to improve equine welfare and reduce the risk of colic.
Content analysis of reporting templates and free-text radiology reports

The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) has developed a set of templates for structured reporting of radiology results. To measure how much of the content of conventional narrative (“free-text”) reports is covered by the concepts included in the RSNA reporting templates, we selected five reporting templates that represented a variety of imaging modalities and organ systems. From a sample of 8,275 consecutive, de-identified radiology reports from an academic medical center, we identified one corresponding imaging procedure code for each reporting template. The reports were annotated with RadLex and SNOMED CT terms using the BioPortal Annotator web service. The reporting templates we examined accounted for 17 to 49 % of the concepts that actually appeared in a sample of corresponding radiology reports. The findings suggest that the concepts that appear in the reporting templates occur frequently within free-text clinical reports; thus, the templates provide useful coverage of the “domain of discourse” in radiology reports. The techniques used in this study may be helpful to guide the development of reporting templates by identifying concepts that occur frequently in radiology reports, to evaluate the coverage of existing templates, and to establish global benchmarks for reporting templates.
Glass-Like Behavior of Magnesium Ions Inside RNA APTamers

RNA is known to be strongly dependent on Magnesium for stability. In this computational study, we explore the effects of Magnesium concentration on the SAM I riboswitch with several microsecond-plus simulations at varying concentrations. Individual Magnesium binding events are shown to influence the RNA conformation through tertiary bridging interactions. We characterize the behavior of Magnesium near RNA for use in structure-based models, and note that it is glassy.
Augmented bug localization using past bug information

Traditional bug localization techniques involve a developer using his or her knowledge of the software system to locate bugs in source code. Various automated techniques simulate knowledge of the system using source code retrieval models such as latent semantic indexing (LSI) and latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA). While these methods do an adequate job, they do not make use of another wealth of information stored in the form of past bug reports. In this paper, I present an extension to the LSI model for bug localization in which the information stored in past bug reports augments the LSI model of bug localization. I describe the details of implementing this process along with the novel patch cartographer tool that is necessary for its execution. Presented along with this description is a pair of case studies verifying the effectiveness of the patch cartographer and process respectively. Results show that the patch cartographer indeed correctly identifies affected methods from a patch file. Additionally, the study of the augmented process shows significant improvement in performance compared to LSI alone.
Optical Beam Control Testbeds

Abstract : This paper discusses two optical beam control testbeds developed at the Spacecraft Research and Design Center, Naval Postgraduate School, to evaluate and develop control techniques for jitter and adaptive optics control. The first testbed, a Jitter Control Testbed is used to develop control techniques for optical beam jitter. In the second testbed, the Adaptive Optics Testbed, adaptive optics control techniques are used to control the surfaces of a segmented mirror with the objective of minimizing aberrations in the images. This paper will also discuss the evaluation of different control techniques used in jitter and adaptive optics control.
Paleoaltimetry of the Tibetan Plateau from D/H ratios of lipid biomarkers

Abstract The past elevation of the land surface provides a unique constraint on the underlying lithospheric structure during mountain and plateau formation. Development of new paleoaltimetry techniques that can be applied to a wide variety of sample types is therefore of continuing importance. This study evaluates organic substrates that preserve the δ D ratio of surface waters as a new approach to reconstruct paleoaltimetry. We measured the hydrogen isotope composition of n -alkanes from epicuticular plant waxes preserved in lacustrine deposits to reconstruct the δ D of precipitation in Cenozoic basins that have been elevated as part of the Tibetan Plateau. n -Alkane δ D- and carbonate δ 18 O-inferred water compositions from the Eocene–Miocene Lunpola Basin and Miocene Hoh-Xil Basin plot near or at enriched values relative to the global meteoric water line, as expected for evaporative lakewater and leafwater systems that have the same precipitation source. n -Alkane δ D-based water compositions are nearly identical to the minimum carbonate δ 18 O-based values, demonstrating that plant-wax δ D is minimally affected by evaporation compared to lacustrine calcite δ 18 O. This agreement strongly supports the presence of similar precipitation isotopic compositions in both archives despite different isotope systems, source water reservoirs, archive materials, modes of incorporation, and diagenetic processes. Paleoelevations for each basin and time period were calculated from precipitation isotope ratios using the isotope–altitude relationship derived from both a simple thermodynamic model and modern precipitation sampling from the Plateau region. Our new results from the Hoh-Xil Basin suggest 1700 to 2600 m of uplift may have occurred some time between the late Eocene and early Miocene. The timing of this uplift is consistent with late-Oligocene compressional deformation of the Hoh-Xil Basin and northward growth of the Tibetan Plateau however, the calculated uplift is not a unique solution from the paleoisotope data because of uncertainties in Eocene and Miocene moisture sources and isotope gradients for the northern plateau. Our results demonstrate the utility of lipid-based estimates of paleoelevation and expand the types of deposits amenable to paleoaltimetry analysis.
Assembly of the human intestinal microbiota

Complex microbial ecosystems occupy the skin, mucosa and alimentary tract of all mammals, including humans. Recent advances have highlighted the tremendous diversity of these microbial communities and their importance to host physiology, but questions remain about the ecological processes that establish and maintain the microbiota throughout life. The prevailing view, that the gastrointestinal microbiota of adult humans is a climax community comprised of the superior competitors for a stable set of niches, does not account for all of the experimental data. We argue here that the unique history of each community and intrinsic temporal dynamics also influence the structure of human intestinal communities.