cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Valganciclovir in pediatric organ transplantation

Valganciclovir has been used extensively for the prevention and treatment of cytomegalovirus in adults for many years. In August 2009, valganciclovir was approved by the US FDA for use in children at the same time as a valganciclovir oral solution. This oral solution will facilitate dosing in patients who are unable to swallow tablets or who require intermediate doses. This paper reviews the current status of the general use of valganciclovir in organ transplant patients with a particular focus on children. Valganciclovir appears to be safe and effective in children. The dose of valganciclovir that appears appropriate for children is based on both renal function and body surface area – specifically, dose (in mg) = seven-times the body surface area multiplied by the creatinine clearance (calculated using a modified Schwartz formula).
Thermal lattice-Boltzmann method for non-ideal gases with potential energy

Abstract We present a thermal lattice-Boltzmann method for gases with potential energy. In addition to the single particle distribution function, additional distribution functions for the potential energy and the non-ideal part of the pressure tensor are defined which contain information about the two-particle distribution function. Guided by the BBGKY-hierarchy, a set of three coupled kinetic equations for these distribution functions is proposed. By means of a Chapman–Enskog expansion it is shown that the correct hydrodynamic equations, including the equation for energy transport, are obtained in the limit of large length and time scales. We discuss how the model can be discretized in order to achieve second-order accuracy and Galilean-invariance. A reduced version of the model, in which the pressure field is adiabatically eliminated, is implemented in two dimensions on a hexagonal lattice. Its stability is investigated numerically, and tests of the accuracy for the transversal and longitudinal modes of linear hydrodynamics, as well as tests of Galilean-invariance, are performed. Comparisons are also made with a hybrid model, in which the energy equation is solved by a finite-difference scheme. The method was further simplified in two cases: (i) for a constant temperature, and (ii) for a gas with only excluded-volume interactions.
Enhancing site-specific theatre experience with remote partners in sleep no more

We demonstrate an overview of our audience participation experiment which enhances the immersive experience of live participants in the theatrical show of Sleep No More using wearable computing devices, augmented portal objects, operators, and actors. Each of live participants were partnered with a corresponding online participant to explore and experience the interactive immersive performance together. We report on our techniques for orchestrating participatory experience, engagement level with the performance and networked partnership, and suggestions for some directions for future research.
Formal aspects of concurrency control in long-duration transaction systems using the NT/PV model

In the typical database system, an execution is correct if it is equivalent to some serial execution. This criterion, called serializability, is unacceptable for new database applications which require long-duration transactions. We present a new transaction model which allows correctness criteria more suitable for these applications. This model combines three enhancements to the standard model: nested transactions, explicit predicates, and multiple versions. These features yield the name of the new model, nested transactions with predicates and versions, or NT/PV.The modular nature of the NT/PV model allows a straightforward representation of simple systems. It also provides a formal framework for describing complex interactions. The most complex interactions the model allows can be captured by a protocol which exploits all of the semantics available to the NT/PV model. An example of these interactions is shown in a CASE application. The example shows how a system based on the NT/PV model is superior to both standard database techniques and unrestricted systems in both correctness and performance.
Slave Ships and Coffin Ships: Transatlantic Exchanges in Irish-American Blackface Minstrelsy

AbstractIrish participation in blackface minstrelsy underwent complex transatlantic exchanges as it jumped from the US to Ireland and back again from the era of the Great Famine through the end of the nineteenth century. Most research on Irish-American blackface minstrelsy treats the Irish in America as a homogenous group that used ‘blacking up’ to establish its ethnic whiteness. However, there were at least two distinct groups of Irish Americans who participated in blackface minstrelsy: Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants. The latter’s incorporation into the history of minstrelsy means that we must reconsider assumptions about how and why the Irish performed blackface in both Ireland and America. Because Irish Protestants’ whiteness was never in question, theories of ethnic assimilation and working class anxieties do not adequately account for Irish gravitation to minstrel shows. Something else about Irish identity captivated performers and audiences. Moving beyond the racial assimilation mode, I argue...
A criterion for the planarity of the total graph of a graph

Two well-known numbers associated with a graph G (finite and undirected with no loops or multiple lines) are the (point) chromatic and the line chromatic number of G (see (2)). With G there is associated a graph L(G), called the line-graph of G, such that the line chromatic number of G is the same as the chromatic number of L(G). This concept was originated by Whitney (9) in 1932. In 1963, Sedlâcek (8) characterized graphs with planar line-graphs. In this note we introduce the notions of the total chromatic number and the total graph of a graph, and characterize graphs with planar total graphs.
THE CHEMISTRY OF ANTICHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY

SUMMARY The molecular level chemistry of the acetylcholine-acetylcholinesterase system has been examined in some detail. The mechanisms of normal substrate hydrolysis and anticholinesterase activity were stressed. It is quite possible that similar forces and mechanisms are inherent in other alterations in physiology for which the anesthesiologist is responsible. The acetylcholine-acetylcholinesterase system is but one example of this relationship between small and large molecules. The paucity of knowledge concerning the molecular level aspects of what we do can only lead to the conclusion that much progress must be made in these areas if we are to understand the extraordinary complex changes induced in the many biologic systems of the body by anesthesia and anesthetics. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Die Chemie des Azetylcholin-Cholinesterasesystems wurde auf Molekular-niveau im Detail untersucht. Dabei wurden die Mechanismen der normalen Substrathydrolyse und der Anticholinesteraseaktivitat herausgestell. Es ist absolut moglich, dass ahnliche Krafte und Mechanismen auch anderen physiologischen Veranderungen innewohnen, fur die der Anaesthesist verant-wortlich ist. Das Azetylcholin-Cholinesterasesystem ist aber ein Beispiel dieser Beziehung zwischen kleinen und grossen Molekulen. Die geringen Erfahrungen betreffend die Aspekte auf molkekularem Niveau von den Dingen, die wir machen, kann nur zu dem Schluss fuhren, dass auf diesen Gebieten noch viel Fortschritte gemacht werden mussten, um die ausserordentlich komplexen Veranderungen zu verstehen, die in den vielen biologischen Systemen des Korpers durch die Narkose und Anaesthetika hervorgerufen werden.
Family Interaction and Individual Psychological Health

Two studies explored the relationships between individual psychological health (PH) status and perceptions of family interaction and family climate variables as perceived by young adults. Psychological health was defined within inter- and intrapersonal domains, represented by social interest and psychological hardiness. Scores on social interest and hardiness instruments were standardized and added to put the construct of psychological health into practice. Family interaction variables were measured with Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales-III (FACES-III), the Children's Report of Parent Behavior Inventory-30 (CRPBI-30), Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale (PAC), Family Satisfaction Scale (FSS), and the Family Environment Scale (FES). Multivariate analyses indicated that PH status was associated with several family variables, with cohesion emerging as a key dimension. Implications for counseling are discussed.
NMR study of strontium binding by a micaceous mineral

The nature of strontium binding by soil minerals directly affects the transport and sequestration/remediation of radioactive strontium species released from leaking high-level nuclear waste storage tanks. However, the molecular-level structure of strontium binding sites has seldom been explored in phyllosilicate minerals by direct spectroscopic means and is not well-understood. In this work, we use solid-state NMR to analyze strontium directly and indirectly in a fully strontium-exchanged synthetic mica of nominal composition Na4Mg6Al4Si4O20F4. Thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, and NMR evidence supports that heat treatment at 500 °C for 4 h fully dehydrates the mica, creating a hydrogen-free interlayer. Analysis of the strontium NMR spectrum of the heat-treated mica shows a single strontium environment with a quadrupolar coupling constant of 9.02 MHz and a quadrupolar asymmetry parameter of 1.0. These quadrupolar parameters are consistent with a highly distorted and asymmetric coordi...
Impairment of hemodynamics with increasing mean airway pressure during high-frequency oscillatory ventilation.

ABSTRACT: We investigated the effects of changes in mean airway pressure (Paw), oscillatory frequency and lung compliance on cardiac output (CO) and pulmonary vascular resistance in seven adult cats (3.0 ± 0.6 kg) during high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV). The cats were anesthetized with chloralose and urethane and ventilated with a high-frequency oscillator at Paw of 4, 8, 12, and 16 cm H2O and frequencies of 3, 6,12,16, and 20 Hz. Saline lavage was used to reduce lung compliance. CO was continuously recorded with an electromagnetic flow probe placed around the aorta and pulmonary vascular resistance was calculated from left atrial and pulmonary artery pressures. Lung lavage reduced static compliance of the respiratory system but did not change CO during pressure-limited ventilation. During HFOV, CO was higher in animals after lung lavage at each Paw. As Paw was raised from 4 to 16 cm H2O during HFOV, CO decreased from 133 ± 36 to 87 ± 31 ml/min kg in animals with normal lungs and decreased from 153 ± 33 to 107 ± 19 ml/min kg after lung lavage (both p < 0.001). Increasing Paw was also associated with an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance both before and after lung lavage (both p < 0.005). Changes in frequency did not significantly alter CO or pulmonary vascular resistance. We conclude that the interaction between the heart and lungs during HFOV is largely mediated by Paw and compliance of the respiratory system. Furthermore, regardless of the degree of lung compliance, cardiac function may be impaired during HFOV as Paw is elevated.
Avalanche dynamics in model two-dimensional grain piles

We report particle dynamical simulations of a two-dimensional grain pile in a box with the base being slowly tilted from horizontal to Qaval angle at which the pile undergoes a large layer sliding event. When dissipation between the grains is negligible, the distribution D(s) of displacements s of the surface grains shows decays that are consistent with s with t'2 for 0,Q,Qaval . At time t.taval at Qaval we find a crossover in t to t'3/2. Dissipation appears to play a key role in the system dynamics only when Q,Qaval . We find that the time for the onset of avalanches, taval>tW , where tW is the time when the surface roughness of the sliding pile is minimized. @S1063-651X~97!04511-X#
Evaluating Socioeconomic Status Bias in the WISC-R.

Abstract The use of intelligence tests in making special education placement decisions for children has come under repeated scrutiny in recent years. Arguments for and against the use of IQs have centered around the issue of test bias. In California a permanent moratorium on the use of intelligence tests in placing minority group children into classes for the educable retarded has been handed down by the court. One defense proposed by advocates of mental testing has been that the tests are biased against socially and economically disadvantaged groups irrespective of race. According to Clarizio (1978), if a test predicts equally well for two groups it can not legitimately be described as biased. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the test bias of the Verbal IQ as measured by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised in relation to predictions of academic achievement in two different socioeconomic status groups. The results indicated that Verbal IQs are not biased with respect to socioeconomic status. Derived regression equations are presented along with an analysis to inspect the statistical power of the original tests.
Anti-thyroid action of beta-aminoethylisothiouronium dibromide in rats.

DURING the development of a screening test for goitrogenic activity of drugs, β-aminoethylisothiouronium dibromide, a radiation protective agent1, was observed to have anti-thyroid activity. In view of possible long-term administration of this substance for prophylactic protection against irradiation, we are reporting our findings.
nSwitching: Virtual Machine aware relay hardware switching to improve intra-NIC Virtual Machine traffic

Recent development on Ethernet switching to provide Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV) on network interface cards (NICs) improves Ethernet throughput for Virtual Machines (VMs) and lowers CPU loads. SR-IOV creates multiple receive queues on a NIC, directly accessible by VMs for frames coming from sources external to the Ethernet port. This virtualization of Ethernet ports and the presentation of frames directly to VMs eliminates a major cause for CPU loading by reducing the interrupts for receipt of inbound frames. However, SR-IOV cannot provide switching support for two VMs on the same computer; the only existing switching option is software-based switching in the hypervisor, which limits throughput and results in high CPU utilization. New industry standards 802.1Qbg and 802.1Qbh assist Ethernet traffic between VMs, but they require costly replacement of both Ethernet NICs and the data center external physical switch infrastructure. In this paper, we propose a new design by integrating a new Ethernet switching functionality into the NIC, which is called nSwitch, to enable hardware-based switching for inter-VM traffic on a single computer that has a single or multi-socket, multi-core CPU. Compared with software-based switching in the hypervisor, this enhancement greatly reduces CPU utilization and permits efficient traffic monitoring for on-board inter-VM I/O. Furthermore, it eliminates the back-and-forth usage of external port or channel bandwidth for internal VM communications.
UbiquitousSurvey: a framework supporting mobile field survey data collection and analysis

Field studies and surveys are important elements of some natural sciences and social sciences. However, the data collection, processing and analysis process for the field surveys generally is lack of automation. In this paper, we will investigate how to apply wireless network and mobile computing technologies to build a framework named UbiquitousSurvey for mobile field survey data collection and analysis. This framework will not only enhance communication between surveyors in different locations, but also speed on-site data entry and analysis. Thus, the field surveyors can optimize collection efforts and the field survey can be more efficient and accurate.
Hyperphosphorylation of tau induces local polyproline II helix.

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by two protein precipitates, extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). The primary constituent of NFTs is a hyperphosphorylated form of the microtubule-binding protein tau. Hyperphosphorylation of tau on over 30 residues, primarily within proline-rich sequences, is associated with conformational changes whose nature is poorly defined. Peptides derived from the proline-rich region of tau (residues 174−242) were synthesized, and the conformations were analyzed for the nonphosphorylated and phosphorylated peptides. CD and NMR data indicate that phosphorylation of serine and threonine residues in proline-rich sequences induces a conformational change to a type II polyproline helix. The largest phosphorylation-dependent conformational changes observed by CD were for tau peptides incorporating residues 174−183 or residues 229−238. Phosphoserine and phosphothreonine residues exhibited ordered values of 3JαN (3.1−6.2 Hz; mean = 4.7 Hz) com...
ACUTE PELVIC PAIN IN THE ADOLESCENT: A CASE REPORT.

Diagnosis and treatment of acute pelvic pain in adolescent females require differentiating among a broad differential diagnosis that includes potentially serious illness across several organ systems. The case presented provides an illustration of the assessment and management of acute pelvic pain, and key teaching points about important potential causes.
A maximum-likelihood reconstruction algorithm for tomographic gamma-ray nondestructive assay

Abstract A new tomographic reconstruction algorithm for nondestructive assay with high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy (HRGS) is presented. The reconstruction problem is formulated using a maximum-likelihood approach in which the statistical structure of both the gross and continuum measurements used to determine the full-energy response in HRGS is modeled. An accelerated expectation-maximization algorithm is used to determine the optimal solution. The algorithm is applied to safeguards and environmental assays of large samples (for example, 55 gal drums) in which high continuum levels caused by Compton scattering are routinely encountered. Details of the implementation of the algorithm and a comparative study of the algorithm's performance are presented.
Substrate oxidation errors during combined indirect calorimetry-hyperinsulinemic glucose clamp studies

The procedure of indirect calorimetry is often combined with the hyperinsulinemic, euglycemic clamp technique so that intracellular rates of glucose oxidation (Gox), fat oxidation (Fox), and energy expenditure (EE) can be determined at different insulin concentrations and rates of whole-body glucose uptake. In order to perform these calculations, rates of protein oxidation (Pox) must be known and are usually estimated from urinary nitrogen (N) excretion. The use of urinary N assumes that this measurement accurately reflects Pox and is unaltered by the glucose clamp technique. To examine these assumptions and determine potential errors in rates of Gox, Fox, and EE with this method, eight healthy subjects each had basal urinary N excretion determined on 4 different days and during a 300 pmol/m2/min hyperinsulinemic, euglycemic clamp. Mean basal urinary N excretion was 6.4 +/- 1.6 mg/min. Within individuals, basal urinary N was highly variable on the 4 different days with a mean coefficient of variation (CV) of 36% +/- 18%. Over the range of basal respiratory quotient (RQ) values in this study (0.78 to 0.85) the day-to-day variation in basal urinary N resulted in potential errors of 11% to 23% for Gox, 16% to 24% for Fox, but minimal effects (less than or equal to 1%) on EE. During the hyperinsulinemic, euglycemic clamp, RQ increased to 0.95 or greater, while urinary N excretion, rather than decreasing as expected, increased by 47% (6.4 +/- 1.6 to 9.4 +/- 2.8 mg/min) due in part to increases in urea clearance from 37.5 +/- 6.7 to 75.2 +/- 12.4 mL/min (P less than .025). This increased urinary N excretion had minimal influence on Fox and EE, but underestimated Gox by up to 5% at RQ less than 0.95. A more accurate estimate of urinary N excretion during hyperinsulinemic clamps may be obtained by correcting for changes in urea clearance. These results indicate that basal urinary N excretion is highly variable and influenced by hyperinsulinemic glucose clamps. Thus, urinary N excretion, particularly during the basal state, may not accurately reflect changes in Pox and can lead to substantial errors in Gox and Fox.
“True philanthropy” and the limits of the female sphere: Poor relief and labor organizations in ante‐bellum Cleveland

(1986). “True philanthropy” and the limits of the female sphere: Poor relief and labor organizations in ante‐bellum Cleveland. Labor History: Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 227-256.
Distance- and error-related discharge of cells in premotor cortex of rhesus monkeys

Previous work on the premotor cortex has emphasized its role in preparation for movement. In this study, we concentrated on the activity that occurs during a movement, particularly when the required movement amplitude is unexpectedly changed by introduction of a visuo-spatial error. In two rhesus monkeys, discharge of premotor neurons was recorded during a multi-joint reaching movement. Units could be divided into two categories: (1) those whose discharge monotonically increased or decreased with movement amplitude; and (2) those whose discharge was modulated with the unexpected change in amplitude but not monotonically. We suggest that the latter class of cells may be detecting or responding to a visuo-motor error. Thus, the premotor cortex is not only involved in preparation but plays a role in the ongoing control of movement execution.
Depressions and Other Lake-Floor Morphologic Features in Deep Water, Southern Lake Michigan

Abstract In the course of studying the stratigraphy of deposits in southern Lake Michigan, we observed a variety of features that disrupt the otherwise smooth, muddy surface of sediments in relatively deep water. The distribution and structure of these features are documented by more than 2,150 km of 3.5 kHz seismic-reflection profiles, and their plan-view has been observed in one area by side-scan sonar and high-resolution bathymetry. The most common features are subcircular depressions, commonly compound, that are irregularly distributed across the lake floor. The depressions are most common in the southern basin of the lake where lacustrine sediments are more than a few meters thick, corresponding to water depths greater than about 90 m. We have divided the depressions into three types on the basis of their internal structure seen in seismic-reflection profiles. The depressions show varying degrees of muting, ranging from fresh to completely buried, suggesting a range in the time of their formation. The origin of the depressions is problematic, but their structure suggests collapse and(or) subsidence. Many of the possible mechanisms for formation of the depressions, except compaction dewatering, can be eliminated based on our seismic-reflection, side-scan sonar, bathymetric, and sedimentologic data. However, the precise way in which the dewatering, due to either loading or earthquake accelerations, leads to the depressions and the way in which the depressions are localized are not well understood. Other morphologic features that occur on the floor of deep-water areas in Lake Michigan are relatively rare. They include mass movement features, primarily small slumps; possible iceberg scours; low, irregular, subcircular mounds, possibly small mud volcanoes; and current scours around bedrock knobs.
Correlation of lymphoscintigraphy with the number of sentinel lymph nodes identified intraoperatively in patients with breast cancer

Abstract Background Numerous studies have evaluated the benefit of performing lymphoscintigraphy for the sentinel lymph node procedure in breast cancer patients. The purpose of this study is to determine if lymphoscintigraphy accurately predicts the number of radioactive sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) identified during surgery for breast cancer patients. Methods From October 2001 to June 2004, SLN biopsy was attempted in 112 patients with breast cancer using a combination of blue dye and radioisotope. Lymphoscintigraphy was performed in 98 of the patients. A lymph node was considered an SLN when it was stained with blue dye, had a blue lymphatic afferent, had increased radioactivity, or was abnormal by palpation. Results Lymphoscintigraphy accurately predicted the number of radioactive SLN identified intraoperatively in 47 patients. In 44 of the patients who did not have concordance, there were more SLN identified intraoperatively than were seen on lymphoscintigraphy. In the other 8 patients, there were fewer SLN identified intraoperatively than seen on lymphoscintigraphy. Conclusions Lymphoscintigraphy accurately predicted the number of SLN identified intraoperatively in only 47% of the patients in this study. In a majority of the patients in whom the lymphoscintigraphy was not concordant, the number of SLN identified intraoperatively was underestimated. Thus, although lymphoscintigraphy is beneficial in showing that at least 1 radioactive SLN will be identified intraoperatively, it does not accurately predict the number.
Magnetic properties of CoCl2-intercalated graphite

Abstract The temperature and magnetic field dependence of the magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity of graphite-CoCl 2 are investigated to understand the role of dimensionality in the observed magnetic phase transitions. The structure of graphite-CoCl 2 shows similarities between the magnetic layers of Co 2+ in pristine and in the intercalated CoCl 2 compound. However, microstructural analysis shows the presence of small islands of magnetic ions. The theoretical model for the 2-dimensional planar magnets is extended to include small magnetic domains. The finite size effect analysis shows good agreement between the experimental and theoretical results. The presence of external magnetic fields demonstrates the static scaling hypothesis for the magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity.
CDMA location using multiple antennas and interference cancellation

Location finding for CDMA subscribers using an antenna array at the base station and deploying multiple base stations is studied in this paper. Two methods are considered for radio location: measured time-of-arrival (TOA) and angle-of-arrival (AOA), and algorithms to estimate them are presented. The estimated TOA and AOA from different base stations are combined via data fusion to estimate the user's interference location by exploiting the topology of the cellular network.
Enforcing Environmental Integrity: Emissions Auditing and the Extended Arm of the Clean Development Mechanism

The Clean Development Mechanism ("CDM") awards tradable credits to emission reduction projects in developing countries. Under the Kyoto Protocol, developed countries can use these credits to offset their own emissions. To ensure the environmental integrity of these offsets, the CDM has accredited a group of private auditors, called Designated Operational Entities ("DOEs"), to validate and verify the emission reduction claims of CDM project developers. This Article examines how DOEs have implemented their auditing mandate and the factors that have challenged this implementation. More specifically, through the analysis of over 1,000 DOE reports and over 25 interviews with key CDM participants, the Article investigates: the rules and standards guiding DOE authority; the competence and capacity of DOEs to perform their auditing duties; and threats to DOE impartiality and independence. In doing so, the Article highlights the incentives and governance structures necessary for privatizing the quality control mechanism of an emission offset system. It also evaluates the sometimes competing incentives that face the auditors of emissions offset projects and proposes reforms for the future operation of the CDM.
Chemical bonds studied with functionalized atomic force microscopy tips

Abstract Chemically modified atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips were produced by using thiol molecules. A new statistical method which produces information about single chemical bond strength from the retracting part of the force-distance curves in AFM is discussed. Single hydrogen bonds between car☐ylic acid groups on the tip and surface were detected, and the hydrogen bond energy between them was calculated. This measured single hydrogen bond strength shows variation in various liquid media. From the shape of the approaching part of the force-distance curves, we were able to confirm the presence of surface hydrogen bond forces, as well as infer other effects such as hydration shell and electric double-layer repulsion. The experiments represent an important step in rendering the information in AFM chemically specific.
WDM-based packet networks

We discuss design considerations for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM)-based packet networks. In the near term, such networks are likely to consist of WDM links connected using some form of electronic multiplexing. The focus of this article is on the joint design of the electronic and optical layer with the objective of simplifying the network and reducing the protocol stack. To that end, we discuss the benefits of optical flow switching, network reconfiguration, traffic grooming, and optical layer protection. We also discuss the state of all-optical packet networking with particular focus on local area network technology.
Decaprenyl Diphosphate Synthesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

A common feature of many bacterial cell wall polymer biosynthetic pathways is the requirement for polyprenyl phosphate (Pol-P) (2, 20, 23), which acts as a carrier of activated saccharides. Pol-P is a low-abundance lipid, and its availability may be rate limiting for cell wall synthesis (14). It has been suggested that the rate of formation of polyprenyl diphosphoryl muramyl pentapeptide (lipid I), the first lipid-linked intermediate in peptidoglycan synthesis, in Escherichia coli may be dependent on the pool levels of Pol-P (29), and mutant cells deficient in Pol-P synthesis do show reduced levels of cell wall biosynthesis (17). In bacteria, the predominant Pol-P molecule is typically ω,diE,polyZ-undecaprenyl phosphate (6, 15); exceptions have been reported for Paracoccus denitrificans, Mycobacterium smegmatis, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (16, 28, 30, 31). In M. tuberculosis the predominant Pol-P molecule is decaprenyl phosphate (28), which occurs in the ω,E,polyZ configuration (Fig. ​(Fig.11). FIG. 1. Mycobacterial decaprenyl phosphate. The structure is drawn as described by Wolucka et al. (30). Arrows indicate the ω isoprene unit and representative double bonds in the E and Z stereoconfigurations. Pol-P molecules are synthesized via sequential condensation of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) with allylic diphosphates, reactions which are catalyzed by prenyl diphosphate synthases. These enzymes are specific for the type of stereochemistry (E or Z) of the introduced allylic double bond, and amino acid alignments have shown that there is no amino acid sequence homology between the E- and Z-prenyl families of diphosphate synthases (12). The first amino acid sequence of a Z-prenyl diphosphate synthase was reported in 1998, when undecaprenyl diphosphate synthase (UPS) was cloned from Micrococcus luteus and characterized (27). Since then, UPS homologs have been cloned from E. coli, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae (3). In previously studied bacteria, these Z-prenyl diphosphate synthases utilize ω,E,E-FPP as the allylic acceptor and synthesize long-chain products with the typical ω,diE,polyZ stereoconformation (1, 3, 4, 21). M. tuberculosis is unusual in that it has two genes (Rv1086 and Rv2361c) that encode proteins with amino acid sequence similarity to that of UPS. Researchers have previously shown that Rv1086 encodes an E,Z-FPP synthase and implicated Rv2361c in the synthesis of decaprenyl diphosphate in crude cell extracts (25). Based on the reported structure of mycobacterial decaprenyl phosphate, we hypothesized that both enzymes were involved in the synthesis of this molecule. We now report the cloning, purification, and characterization of Rv2361c, which adds seven isoprene units to ω,E,Z-farnesyl diphosphate to form decaprenyl diphosphate, indicating that Rv1086 and Rv2361c act sequentially in the synthesis of decaprenyl diphosphate, a precursor of decaprenyl phosphate, which is utilized in many aspects of cell wall biosynthesis in M. tuberculosis (7, 8, 20).
Comparison of serotonin toxicity with concomitant use of either linezolid or comparators and serotonergic agents: an analysis of Phase III and IV randomized clinical trial data

Objectives and methods: The present study’s objective was to evaluate serotonin toxicity with concomitant use of linezolid or comparators and serotonergic agents from 20 Phase III and IV comparator-controlled clinical studies on treatment of various Gram-positive infections. All reported adverse events were evaluated for serotonin toxicity using exact and surrogate terms consistent with Sternbach Criteria and Hunter Serotonin Toxicity Criteria. Results: Baseline demographics and co-morbidities were similar between linezolid and comparator groups. No patients in either group were reported to have adverse events identified as serotonin toxicity. Among the patients receiving at least one serotonergic agent, 9 of the 2208 (0.41%) linezolid patients and 3 of the 2057 (0.15%) comparator patients met the Sternbach Criteria [risk ratio (RR) 2.79; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.76 –10.31]; 3 (0.14%) of the linezolid patients and 1 (0.05%) of the comparator patients met the Hunter Serotonin Toxicity Criteria (RR 2.79; 95% CI 0.29 –26.85). No patients met both criteria. Most patients meeting criteria for serotonin toxicity had past or present co-morbidities that may have contributed to or overlapped with reported adverse events. Conclusions: While the potential exists for serotonin toxicity to occur with concomitant use of linezolid and serotonergic agents, the risk appears to be low. Based on the large database of Phase III and IV studies included in our analysis, we did not find enough evidence to conclude that linezolid-induced serotonin toxicity was different from that of comparators.
What Do Juvenile Probation Officers Think of Using the SAVRY and YLS/CMI for Case Management, and Do They Use the Instruments Properly?

Juvenile probation officers (JPOs; n = 71) in the United States were interviewed three and ten months after the SAVRY or YLS/CMI was implemented in their office. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were used to explore their experiences using the instruments and adherence to practice guidelines. JPOs typically perceived the instruments as being ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ helpful for guiding their case planning decisions. A frequently cited barrier to using both instruments in practice related to the increased length of time it took to complete reports; yet, at the same time, some JPOs also acknowledged that use of the measures forced them to gather important information about the youth's background and current situation that proved useful. Most JPOs (77 %, n = 33 of 43) using the SAVRY expressed preference for a risk assessment model that emphasized use of appropriate professional discretion rather than a score-based approach. “Buy-in” for the instruments and the reported difficulties varied across sites. The...
Impacts on New York GHG Emissions From Distributed Combined Heat and Power

As cities have begun to implement greenhouse gas initiatives, one technology that has become of interest is building level combined heat and power (CHP). In New York City, over two thirds of greenhouse gas emissions are attributed to buildings. As space heating is the major end use of building energy consumption in the Northeast, building level CHP systems have the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions especially since many buildings utilize fuel oil to fire boilers for space heating.While distributed CHP has potential to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, this statement is quite dependent on the current types and efficiencies of generators used to supply electricity. In New York State, approximately 50% of electricity is produced from nuclear and hydro power plants with the majority of the remainder supplied by simple and combined cycle gas turbines. Only 1% of electricity is supplied by less efficient oil power plants.In the current work we seek to determine how the emissions benefits of distributed generation change with increasing penetration of CHP systems (up to 1.58 GW of aggregated capacity) considering the current mix of electricity generation capacity in New York State. The analysis indicates while there are emissions reductions for all scenarios the impact reduces on the order of 400 metric tons per MWe.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Multimarker Prediction of Coronary Heart Disease Risk: The Women's Health Initiative

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate whether multiple biomarkers contribute to improved coronary heart disease (CHD) risk prediction in post-menopausal women compared with assessment using traditional risk factors (TRFs) only. Background The utility of newer biomarkers remains uncertain when added to predictive models using only TRFs for CHD risk assessment. Methods The Women9s Health Initiative Hormone Trials enrolled 27,347 post-menopausal women ages 50 to 79 years. Associations of TRFs and 18 biomarkers were assessed in a nested case-control study including 321 patients with CHD and 743 controls. Four prediction equations for 5-year CHD risk were compared: 2 Framingham risk score covariate models; a TRF model including statin treatment, hormone treatment, and cardiovascular disease history as well as the Framingham risk score covariates; and an additional biomarker model that additionally included the 5 significantly associated markers of the 18 tested (interleukin-6, d-dimer, coagulation factor VIII, von Willebrand factor, and homocysteine). Results The TRF model showed an improved C-statistic (0.729 vs. 0.699, p = 0.001) and net reclassification improvement (6.42%) compared with the Framingham risk score model. The additional biomarker model showed additional improvement in the C-statistic (0.751 vs. 0.729, p = 0.001) and net reclassification improvement (6.45%) compared with the TRF model. Predicted CHD risks on a continuous scale showed high agreement between the TRF and additional biomarker models (Spearman9s coefficient = 0.918). Among the 18 biomarkers measured, C-reactive protein level did not significantly improve CHD prediction either alone or in combination with other biomarkers. Conclusions Moderate improvement in CHD risk prediction was found when an 18-biomarker panel was added to predictive models using TRFs in post-menopausal women.
Person-Environment Fit in the Final Jobs of Retirees

A modification of the person-environment fit model incorporating the concept of zone of indifference to denote work values that are of low priority to the individual was applied to descriptions of the final jobs of a sample of 217 retired men and women to test the hypothesis that if a value is regarded as unimportant, it is more likely not to apply to a person's job. The data generally support the hypothesis, especially among participants placing low priority on values denoting competition and achievement. It is argued that finding the zone of indifference can be a useful extension of the person-environment fit model.
Arterial aneurysms in children: Clinicopathologic classification

Abstract Thirty-one arterial macroaneurysms in 23 pediatric-aged patients (16 boys and 7 girls) were treated at the University of Michigan. The average age at time of diagnosis was 10.2 years (range 6 months to 18 years). Vessels involved the aorta (4), as well as hepatic (1), splenic (2), gastroepiploic (1), renal (12), iliac (1), superficial femoral (4), popliteal (1), brachial (1), radial (2), and ulnar (2) arteries. Twelve children exhibited overt clinical manifestations including presence of a mass (7), local pain (3), hematemesis (1), and painless obstructive jaundice (1). Eleven children had asymptomatic lesions. Aneurysm existence was confirmed by arteriography or operation. All but one child underwent surgical therapy, with 20 long-term survivors (mean follow-up 3.5 years). One operative death occurred and one death occurred 6 years after surgery. This experience and a review of previously reported cases served as a basis for categorization of childhood aneurysmal disease as true aneurysms associated with (I) arterial infection, (II) giant-cell aortoarteritis, (III) autoimmune connective tissue disease, (IV) Kawasaki's disease, (V) Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or Marfan's syndrome, (VI) other forms of noninflammatory medial degeneration, (VII) arterial dysplasias, (VIII) congenital-idiopathic factors, as well as (IX) false aneurysms associated with extravascular events causing vessel wall injury or disruption. Knowledge of the varied clinicopathologic characteristics of arterial aneurysms in children is important in treating these patients. (J VASC SURG 1991;13:47-57.)
ANT BIODIVERSITY IN SEMIARID LANDSCAPE MOSAICS: THE CONSEQUENCES OF GRAZING VS. NATURAL HETEROGENEITY

The conservation of biodiversity in landscape mosaics requires an under- standing of the impacts of human land use within mosaic elements and an evaluation of the biological uniqueness of different elements. We address these issues by examining patterns of ant diversity in three semiarid rangeland landscapes used predominantly for grazing. These landscapes lie along a regional gradient from shortgrass steppe through a transitional zone to desert grassland, along which climate and ant species composition vary. Within each landscape, we compared the effects of grazing and natural variation in soils and vegetation on ant diversity and community composition. Grazing had little effect on ant richness, diversity, or composition at the transitional zone or the desert grassland site, but ungrazed areas at the shortgrass steppe site had a higher overall richness and favored the abundance of some species. Some samples of saltbush (Atriplex canescens) shrubland were similar to ungrazed samples in richness and species composition. In both the tran- sitional zone and the desert grassland, creosotebush (Larrea tridentata)-dominated habitats harbored comparatively species-rich and distinct ant communities. In addition, mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) coppice dunes at the desert grassland site favored the abundance of several species that were rare across the site. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that variation in soil strength and texture best explained community variation at the short- grass steppe site, whereas soil texture and associated differences in shrub density best explained differences in composition at the transitional and desert grassland sites. The characterization of habitats based upon vegetation classification did not adequately reflect environmental variation that was important to ants in shortgrass steppe, but reflected im- portant soil textural variation in the transitional and desert grassland sites. These results suggest that ant conservation in these semiarid rangelands should emphasize patterns of variation in soil properties. The results add to a growing consensus that a variety of variables determined by the responses of several focal taxa may be needed to characterize biodiversity patterns.
Neural basis of deciding, choosing and acting

The ability and opportunity to make decisions and carry out effective actions in pursuit of goals is central to intelligent life. Recent research has provided significant new insights into how the brain arrives at decisions, makes choices, and produces and evaluates the consequences of actions. In fact, by monitoring or manipulating specific neurons, certain choices can now be predicted or manipulated.
Planning smooth paths for mobile robots

The authors consider the problem of planning paths for a robot which has a minimum turning radius. This is a first step towards accurately modeling a robot with the kinematics of a car. The technique used is to define a set of canonical trajectories which satisfy the nonholonomic constraints imposed. A configuration space can be constructed for these trajectories in which there is a simple characterization of the boundaries of the obstacles generated by the workspace obstacles. The authors describe a graph search algorithm which divides the configuration space into sample trajectories. The characterization of the boundaries makes it possible to calculate an approximate path in time O(n/sup 3// delta log n+Alog (n/ delta )), where n is the number of obstacle vertices in the environment, A is the number of free trajectories, and delta describes the robustness of the generated path and the closeness of the approximation. The authors also describe a plane sweep for computing the configuration space obstacle for a trajectory segment. They use this to generate robust paths using a quadtree based algorithm in time O(n/sup 4/log n+(n/ delta /sup 2/)). >
One hundred years of physiotherapy plinths

This articles presents a brief illustrated history of physiotherapy plinths over the last century, reflecting a progression of treatment techniques.
Coupling DAEM and CFD for simulating biomass fast pyrolysis in fluidized beds

We report results from computational simulations of an experimental, lab-scale bubbling bed biomass pyrolysis reactor that include a distributed activation energy model (DAEM) for the kinetics. In this study, we utilized multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to account for the turbulent hydrodynamics, and this was combined with the DAEM kinetics in a multi-component, multi-step reaction network. Our results indicate that it is possible to numerically integrate the coupled CFD–DAEM system without significantly increasing computational overhead. It is also clear, however, that reactor operating conditions, reaction kinetics, and multiphase flow dynamics all have major impacts on the pyrolysis products exiting the reactor. We find that, with the same pre-exponential factors and mean activation energies, inclusion of distributed activation energies in the kinetics can shift the predicted average value of the exit vapor-phase tar flux and its statistical distribution, compared to single-valued activation-energy kinetics. Perhaps the most interesting observed trend is that increasing the diversity of the DAEM activation energies appears to increase the mean tar yield, all else being equal. These findings imply that accurate resolution of the reaction activation energy distributions will be important for optimizing biomass pyrolysis processes.
Further Investigating JACC’s Vision of Simplicity: Understanding the Meaning Behind the Central Illustration

![Figure][1] “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”— Leonardo da Vinci [(1)][2] I began my very first Editor’s Page with this quote, which is oft-attributed to a man who was not only a celebrated Renaissance painter, but also an inventor, scientist, sculptor, mathematician,
THE TIBIAL COLLATERAL LIGAMENT: ITS FUNCTION, ITS BURSAE, AND ITS RELATION TO THE MEDIAL MENISCUS

From the description of the parallel and oblique fibers of the tibial collateral ligament, it can be seen that the parallel fibers are not attached to the medial meniscus. Variable bursae are located deep to the tibial collateral ligament. Calcification of the most superior bursa may account for certain cases of Pellegrini-Stieda disease.
Superorganismic Behavior via Human Computation

In a future world with pervasive Human Computation (HC), there may be profound effects on how humanity functions at multiple levels from individual behaviors to species/wide changes in evolutionary development. What would such an HC/shaped human society look like? This hypothetical society would be the result of successful adaptations that provide both increased benefit to the high/level facilitators of large-scale computations as well as sufficient incentives to individuals to participate in those computations.