cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Do appreciable changes in the upper extremity motor capability to perform clean intermittent catheterization come about with time after traumatic spinal cord injury

INTRODUCTION Bladder dysfunction after spinal cord injury (SCI) often requires clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) or other management strategies. A common dilemma in those desiring to perform CIC independently but lacking the appropriate upper extremity (UE) motor function is the timing of reconstructive surgery. METHODS We assessed the National Spinal Cord Injury Data Set for the years 2000-2016. Our cohort consisted of persons with cervical SCI, who underwent complete motor examination upon discharge from rehabilitation and at 1-year follow-up. Using a previously published algorithm, UE motor scores were transformed to predict a patient's ability to independently perform CIC. Improvements in the predicted ability to self-catheterize were evaluated. RESULTS Of the 1428 individuals meeting the inclusion criteria, improvements in the predicted UE motor function necessary to independently self-catheterize were observed in 39%, 42%, and 38% of those deemed possibly able, only able with surgical assistance, or unable to self-catheterize at rehabilitation discharge, respectively. On multivariate analysis, only increasing Association Impairment Scale (AIS) classification and AIS classification improvement over the first year were associated with an increased odds of improving predicted CIC ability (odds ratio [OR] = 1.44 for AIS C and 1.97 for AIS D compared with AIS A, and OR = 1.90 for AIS classification improvement versus stable AIS classification, P < 0.05 for each). CONCLUSION Improvements in UE motor function to independently perform CIC occur in approximately 40% of persons with cervical SCI in the first year after rehabilitation discharge. Those with incomplete injuries are more likely to improve. These findings should enhance patient bladder management counseling and guide surgeons in determining an appropriate timeline for offering reconstruction.
A sex-disaggregated analysis of how emotional violence relates to suicide ideation in low- and middle-income countries

Abstract Background In recent years, research has increasingly focused on examining the relationship between one type of child maltreatment -- emotional violence -- and suicidal behaviors. However, the growing body of empirical evidence supporting these associations has been mostly limited to high-income contexts. Objective This study examines how exposure to emotional violence is associated with suicide ideation in childhood and adolescence in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and whether this association differs by sex. Participants and setting We employ nationally representative samples of 13–24 year-old males and females from the Violence Against Children Surveys in Tanzania (conducted in 2009), Kenya (2010), and Haiti (2012). Methods We use logistic regressions to estimate the odds of ever reporting suicide ideation, separately, for each country; models control for self-reported exposure to emotional violence, physical violence from a caregiver, physical violence by an adult in the community, sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and age. Formal moderation by sex for each form of child maltreatment is tested using interaction terms. Results We find the odds of suicide ideation are consistently and significantly greater for adolescents who report ever exposure to emotional violence. This same consistency is not observed for any other form of maltreatment across countries. The size of the relationship between emotional violence and suicide ideation is statistically significantly larger for males in Kenya only. Conclusion Research in LMICs should explore the mediating factors linking emotional abuse in childhood and adolescence to suicide ideation in adolescence, paying special attention to whether these pathways might operate differently by sex.
Warm absorbers in Seyfert 1 galaxies

X-ray spectroscopy of Seyfert 1 galaxies often reveal absorption edges resulting from photoionized gas along the line-of-sight to the central engine, the so-called warm absorber. I discuss how recent ASCA observations of warm absorber variability in MCG-6-30-15 can lead us to reject a one-zone model and, instead, have suggested a multi-zone warm absorber. The evidence for dust within the warm absorbers of MCG-6-30-15 and IRAS 13349+2438 is also addressed. These dusty warm absorbers reveal themselves by significantly reddening the optical flux without heavily absorbing the soft X-ray photons. Thermal emission from this warm/hot dust may be responsible for the infra-red bump commonly seen in the broad band spectrum of many Seyfert galaxies.
Bayesian modelling of nonlinear Poisson regression with artificial neural networks

Modelling and prediction of count and rate responses have substantial usage in many fields, including health, finance, social, etc. Conventionally, linear Poisson regression models have been widely...
Economics of Advanced Small Modular Reactors

Developments in the US economy that will affect the nuclear power industry in the coming years include the emergence of new nuclear technologies, waste disposal issues, proliferation concerns, the streamlining of nuclear regulation, a possible transition to a hydrogen economy, policies toward national energy security, and environmental policy. These developments will affect both the competitiveness of nuclear power and appropriate nuclear energy policies.
Mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy in disease and targeted nuclease-based therapeutic approaches

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encodes a subset of the genes which are responsible for oxidative phosphorylation. Pathogenic mutations in the human mtDNA are often heteroplasmic, where wild-type mtDNA species co-exist with the pathogenic mtDNA and a bioenergetic defect is only seen when the pathogenic mtDNA percentage surpasses a threshold for biochemical manifestations. mtDNA segregation during germline development can explain some of the extreme variation in heteroplasmy from one generation to the next. Patients with high heteroplasmy for deleterious mtDNA species will likely suffer from bona-fide mitochondrial diseases, which currently have no cure. Shifting mtDNA heteroplasmy toward the wild-type mtDNA species could provide a therapeutic option to patients. Mitochondrially targeted engineered nucleases, such as mitoTALENs and mitoZFNs, have been used in vitro in human cells harboring pathogenic patient-derived mtDNA mutations and more recently in vivo in a mouse model of a pathogenic mtDNA point mutation. These gene therapy tools for shifting mtDNA heteroplasmy can also be used in conjunction with other therapies aimed at eliminating and/or preventing the transfer of pathogenic mtDNA from mother to child.
Does “Believing in His Name” Constitute Saving Faith?

Often viewed in Johannine scholarship as an inferior and salvifically impotent intellectual assent to Jesus’ messiahship on the basis of his miracles rather than his Kingdom movement, this chapter argues that “believing in his (Jesus’) name” (πιστeύω eἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ) is equivalent to πιστeύω eἰς αὐτὸν and denotes allegiance to Jesus as the embodiment of Yahweh. In its historical context, I propose that Jesus’ refusal to entrust himself to some who “believed in his name” following his Temple demonstration means not that he refused to bequeath such persons salvation but that he would not give himself over to be the political, military messiah they were longing for amidst their Roman oppression. My proposal has the power to open up questions on the Johannine difference between spiritual and political redemption that directly engage American politics and culture.
A radioautographic study of hemopoietic repopulation using irradiated parabiotic rats. Relation to the stem cell problem.

These radioautographic studies using parabiotic rats and partial marrow shielding showed that cells responsible for recovery of irradiated bone marrow had their origin in the shielded marrow. Three morphologically distinct cell types appeared in the blood of these parabionts, mature granulocytes, small lymphocytes and monocytoid cells. The monocytoid was the major cell type which crossed from the shielded to nonshielded marrow, and the observations suggested that it is this cell which served as a stem cell for both the erythrocytic and granulocytic cell lines. Labeled erythroblasts and myeloblasts were observed in the recovering marrow, and the labeling intensity of these cells indicated that they were the second or third division products of labeled immigrant cells. The effect of marrow shielding upon the recovery of lymphopoiesis in spleen, thymus, lymph nodes and bone marrow is also discussed.
G515(P) ‘In spite of the gaps’ – a multifaceted approach to staffing a children’s hospital

The RCPCH UK workforce census made recommendations to ensure sufficient paediatric staffing in the future. Our Children’s Hospital has embraced this model and taken a new approach to staffing that enables the provision of high quality, safe paediatric care, with a focus on paediatric training. We have experienced significant gaps in the trainee medical workforce in recent years. Gaps are spread equitably across the region, however a 20% gap is usual. Trainees and consultants alike have felt the impact, resulting in concerns about morale, retention and burnout. The effect of receiving yet another email asking for locum cover, or informing you of out of hour’s gaps, should not be underestimated. We adopted a new approach to forecasting and managing the rota gaps. This involves the management team, rota coordinators, college tutors, trainees and medical deployment. A monthly strategic workforce meeting is held, alongside a biweekly meeting to manage day-to-day issues and on-going recruitment. Recruitment looks 6–12 months ahead - essential when recruiting overseas doctors. We have recruited to 1–2 year posts through NHS jobs, MTI schemes and a trust-wide international recruitment programme. There is bespoke induction and a supernumerary period before starting in ST1–3 rotas. Trainees then move into ST4–8 rotas after 6 months. We support those applying for paediatric training, with anticipated longer-term gains for the regional workforce. An innovative FY3 post with 20% QI time has been popular, with their on-call reducing locum spend. Expansion of the non-medical workforce has begun with 5 permanent Physicians Assistants in paediatric specialties. There is expansion of The Advanced Clinical Practioner team into general paediatrics and surgery. These roles increase patient continuity and enable trainees to access educational opportunities. Locum spend has significantly reduced with a 60% reduction in locum shifts. This has been achieved with strong day-to-day leadership of the rotas, alongside a management team committed to improving staffing and working lives. Dedicated staff are essential for this strategy to be sustainable. Challenges include significant ongoing time commitment, increased educational supervision and unpredictability of international recruitment. We suggest that this model can be used by other UK Children’s Hospitals and form an important part of a regional workforce strategy.
Does Closing a University because of the Corona Virus Constitute Negligence or a Breach of Fiduciary Duty

This paper reviews the current Corona virus situation, then examines the legal definitions of negligence and fiduciary duty in an attempt to determine whether closing a university because of health concerns over the Corona virus might result in legal liability for the university’s board members and relevant university administrators.
Effects of forest harvesting and biomass removal on soil carbon and nitrogen: Two complementary meta-analyses

Abstract Forest residues and logging slash from pre-commercial forest thinning and regeneration harvests are a potential feedstock for bioenergy production but there has been a concern about the impact of residue removal on forest soil C and N. This study aimed to address such by conducting two meta-analyses using the data available from published literature and an independent dataset compiled from the North American Long-Term Soil Productivity (LTSP) study. For the meta-analysis using literature, we categorized forest harvesting and biomass removal into i) no harvest control, ii) bole-only (BO, partial or clearcut) regular harvests, iii) BO with partial removal of logging slash and/or O horizon (BO+Removal), iv) whole tree harvests (WTH), and v) WTH with slash and O horizon removal (WTH+Removal). Accordingly, we compiled soil C and N data and key statistics (e.g., standard deviation) from 142 scientific articles published since 1979. We compared the results from this meta-analysis with data from 22 installations of the LTSP study where three levels of organic matter removal - BO, WTH, and WTH plus forest floor (+FF, O horizon) removal - as well as an additional vegetation control (+VC) were measured for two decades in either completely randomized or randomized block design. In the literature meta-analysis, BO+Removal (-19.2%), WTH (-15.4%) and WTH+Removal (-24.9%) contained significantly less soil C than no-harvest controls across combined soil depths, while BO had no difference. Within individual mineral soil horizons, only BO+Removal and WTH+Removal treatments contained significantly less carbon than controls. There was a high degree of heterogeneity in treatment response between studies in the literature. The analyses from the LTSP dataset showed no significant difference in combined soil depths for WTH or WTH+VC relative to BO harvest, but there was significantly less soil C in BO+VC (-3.6%), WTH+FF (-8.5%) and WTH+FF+VC (-15.3%). These treatment effects declined over time since harvest, particularly the most intensive treatments. Soil N results largely mirrored soil C in both meta-analyses with smaller estimated effects for most treatments at equivalent depths (except for WTH+Removal and WTH+FF+VC, which remain about the same). There were no significant differences in soil N for combined soil depths between WTH and no-harvest control (in the literature analysis) or BO harvest (for both analyses). Since the most severe losses of soil C and N involved FF removal, WTH that accounts for modest removals (
Response to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Real-World Patients With Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.

Background:Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are the front-line therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), where phase 3 clinical trials have demonstrated their safety and efficacy. However, trial...
Proud of the Past, but Focused on the Future — From Model T to Model U

As Ford approaches its 100th birthday on June 16, it is an opportunity to celebrate its heritage and its unique impact on the development of mobility in the 20th century. But more importantly, it gives Ford the chance to look forward to the next century of operation with the objective of making an even greater impact on people’s lives.
Ethics in Financial Services: Systems and Individuals

In this chapter we agree that greed is certainly an important element in understanding the financial crisis of 2008–2009, but ending the analysis by citing greed as the cause is too simplistic. The fact that people refused to recognize and in some cases even seemed to endorse conflicts of interest is especially troubling. Even more troubling is the fact that some people and some financial institutions abused information asymmetry and deliberately sold products to an unsuspecting public-products that they had reason to believe would fail. Thus we moved from greed-a vice- to conflict of interest, deception and fraud that are unethical and illegal. How did this happen? Our larger thesis is that this happened because people forgot that self–interest must be constrained and it happened because many financial institutions and the individuals who managed them lost sight of the larger purpose of business in general and of financial institutions in particular.
Empirical Research for Public Policy: With Examples from Family Law and Advice on Securing Funding

This paper discusses the use of empirical research for public policy and suggests a number of cautions that should be exercised in generalizing from empirical studies to public policy with a focus on the role of theory and both internal and external validity. It is build around three studies in the area of family law but draws on studies in other areas as well. It argues that even lawyers relatively unfamiliar with the methods of empirical research can be reasonably sophisticated consumers if they just apply good logic and common sense. It also cautions against demanding too much of empirical research and, in particular, ignoring or discarding empirical studies because flaws that make them less than perfect for policy purposes can be identified.
Having Its Yellowcake and Eating it Too: How the NSG Waiver for India Threatens to Undermine the Nuclear Nonprofileration Regime

The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a cartel of nuclear suppliers that imposes export restrictions on nuclear trade with states that do not adhere to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) or submit to safeguards administered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The NSG passed a waiver of restrictions on nuclear commerce with India in September 2008 despite India’s failure to meet either of these nonproliferation norms. This waiver, largely influenced by the economic and political motivations of large nuclear suppliers, establishes a double standard for India because it provides India with the same trade benefits of NPT members but without the nonproliferation obligations. This Note argues that the NSG waiver threatens to undermine the NPT and global security at-large. The Note proposes ways to narrow the scope of the waiver to prevent further damage to the nuclear nonproliferation regime.
A graphical interface for an object-oriented query language

A graphical user interface for an object-oriented query language, GOQL, is presented, GOQL is a part of a prototype knowledge base management system which is based on an object-oriented semantic association model, OSAM. GOQL consists of a graphical browser and a graphical querying module. The browser allows a user to browse through a complex knowledge-base schema graphically and prune it into a desired level of abstraction and details before the querying process. In the querying module, there are two modes, OQL and graphical OQL. The OQL mode is provided for knowledgeable users to directly type in the OQL command. In the graphical OQL mode, the user is guided through the formation of the query. It is noted that the object-oriented nature and the increased semantics of the underlying model and query language pose new challenges in user interface design due to their added complexity. On the other hand, these features also provide more information to the system in order to make the user interface more intelligent. >
Purine-Nucleoside Phosphorylase from Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli

Purine nucleoside phosphorylase from Salmonella typhimurium has been subjected to kinetic analysis, i.e. determination of initial velocity patterns and product inhibition studies. The kinetic results suggest that the enzyme works by a sequential reaction mechanism, where the nucleoside, phosphate, and pentose 1-phosphate are all able to bind to the free enzyme, whereas it appears that the purine base binds after addition of the pentose 1-phosphate. The proposed mechanism is confirmed by substrate binding studies. In addition to the enzymesubstrate complexes suggested by the kinetics, the binding studies revealed a ‘dead end’ complex, consisting of enzyme, phosphate, and purine base. Similar binding experiments were carried out using the enzyme from Escherichia coli. The results suggest that this enzyme works by an identical reaction mechanism. The binding data are in agreement with the presence of six binding sites per native enzyme molecule, one binding site per subunit, for each ligand. Both enzymes show normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics for their substrates with the exception of phosphate, for which the double-reciprocal plots are concave down. This behaviour is seen in both binding and velocity curves, and most likely is a result of negative cooperativity in the binding of phosphate to the enzyme.
EF-G-dependent GTP hydrolysis induces translocation accompanied by large conformational changes in the 70S ribosome

Cryo-electron microscopy has been used to visualize elongation factor G (EF-G) on the 70S ribosome in GDP and GTP states. GTP hydrolysis is required for binding of all the domains of EF-G to the pretranslocational complex and for the completion of translocation. In addition, large conformational changes have been identified in the ribosome. The head of the 30S subunit shifts toward the L1 protein side, and the L7/L12 stalk becomes bifurcated upon EF-G binding. Upon GTP hydrolysis, the bifurcation is reversed and an arc-like connection is formed between the base of the stalk and EF-G.
Transcriptional and Transforming Activities of the Adenovirus E1A Proteins

Publisher Summary The products of the adenovirus E1A gene play key roles in both the productive and transforming cycles of infection. During productive growth in human cells, the E1A proteins activate expression of adenovirus genes at the level of transcription. The E1A proteins are also oncoproteins that cooperate with the adenovirus E1B gene products to oncogenically transform rodent cells. The 289R E1A protein is primarily responsible for the transactivation of viral gene expression. This protein and CR3 peptide stimulate transcription when added to uninfected cell-nuclear extracts in vitro . It is, therefore, unlikely that transactivation is generally a result of E1A protein-induced increases in the absolute concentration of cellular transcriptional components. A mechanism invoking E1A protein-dependent modification of cellular transcriptional components to increase one or more of their activities has a number of virtues. The E1A gene has been reported to transform established NIH 3T3 cells in the absence of a cooperating oncogene when it is expressed at high levels under the control of a heterologous promoter. However, the results obtained with established cell lines are difficult to interpret because such lines may harbor mutant recessive oncogenes, such as p53, that could influence the transforming activity of E1A proteins.
Racial differences in the pharmacokinetics of methylprednisolone in black and white renal transplant recipients.

Study Objective. To examine the comparative pharmacokinetics of long-term methylprednisolone therapy in black and white renal transplant recipients. Design. Comprehensive pharmacokinetic evaluations of patients who participated in our glucocorticoid-monitoring program. Setting. University-based renal transplantation clinic. Patients. Six white renal transplant recipients with stable renal function, sex-and (approximate) age-matched with six preselected black patients. Interventions. The daily oral methylprednisolone dose for each patient was administered intravenously, and serial plasma samples were obtained over 24 hours. Measurements and Main Results. Methylprednisolone was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The drug's pharmacokinetics in black and white patients, respectively, were as follows: mean clearance 234 ± 124 and 472 ± 180 ml/hr/kg (p<0.05); volume of distribution 0.3-2.0 and 0.8-2.0 L/kg; and elimination rate constant 0.13-0.41 and 0.27-0.42 hour−1 (p<0.06). No statistical difference was noted in the last two parameters. The mean half-life of 3.4 ± 1.4 hours in black patients compared with 2.1 ± 0.3 hours in white patients approached statistical significance (p<0.08). Conclusions. These preliminary observations suggest that the disposition of methylprednisolone differs between black and white renal transplant recipients. The current method of prescribing glucocorticoids employs a fixed-dose regimen that does not take these possible interracial differences into consideration. Incorporating the differences may allow for more individualized dosing and more efficacious use of the agent in this patient population.
Intragenomic heterogeneity of the 16S rRNA gene in strain UFO1 caused by a 100-bp insertion in helix 6

Two different versions of the 16S rRNA gene, one of which contained an unusual 100-bp insertion in helix 6, were detected in isolate UFO1 acquired from the Oak Ridge Integrated Field-Research Challenge (ORIFRC) site in Tennessee. rRNA was extracted from UFO1 and analyzed by reverse transcriptase-quantitative PCR with insert- and non-insert-specific primers; only the noninsert 16S rRNA gene sequence was detected. Similarly, PCR-based screening of a cDNA library (190 clones) constructed from reverse-transcribed rRNA from UFO1 did not detect any clones containing the 100-bp insert. Examination of cDNA with primers specific to the insert-bearing 16S rRNA gene, but downstream of the insert, suggests that the insert was excised from rRNA. Inspection of other 16S rRNA genes in the GenBank database revealed that a homologous insert sequence, also found in helix 6, has been reported in other environmental clones, including those acquired from ORIFRC enrichments. These findings demonstrate the existence of widely divergent copies of the 16S rRNA gene within the same organism, which may confound 16S rRNA gene-based methods of estimating microbial diversity in environmental samples.
Segregation analysis under an alternative formulation for the mixed model.

Different approaches for segregation analysis that have been proposed in the past are compared to a new approach by Femando et al. [submitted], the finite polygenic mixed model, analyzing a real and a simulated data set
Land Recycling, Community Revitalization, and Distributive Politics: An Analysis of EPA Brownfields Program Support

This article examines social, economic, and political factors influencing the distribution of resources to local governments under the EPA Brownfields Program, an innovative federal effort to encourage the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated properties. Signed into law in 2002, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act provided the program with a congressional mandate, new tools to promote reuse such as liability protections, and increased funding up to a level of $250 million per year. This article contributes to research on environmental regulatory reform with an analysis of successful and unsuccessful local government applicants for EPA Brownfields Program support between 2003 and 2007. Building on prior research, we develop a series of expectations and an empirical model, and estimate the influence of program priorities, government and civic capacity, interest group pressures, and institutional politics. Results point to significant relationships between program priorities and award patterns. Contrary both to EPA's explicit commitments to equity and to analysis of pre-2003 award patterns, however, we find negative correlations between the proportions of local populations that are nonwhite or low-income and the likelihood of receiving an award. In addition, better-resourced governments and several dimensions of political representation show strong associations with the likelihood of winning awards. We conclude by discussing implications.
Gadolinium‐labeled liposomes containing various amphiphilic Gd‐DTPA derivatives: Targeted MRI contrast enhancement agents for the liver

Unique paramagnetic liposomal contrast agents were synthesized and utilized for selective augmentation of T1 MR imaging of the livers of normal Balb/c mice. A series of amphipathic gadolinium complexes, which mimic phospholipids, was incorporated into the lamella of small unilamellar liposomes such that they become an integral part of its surface. The amphipathic complexing agents consisted of DTPA reagents in which two stearyl chains are attached via amide, ester, and thioester linkages. The in vitro stability and the in vivo lifetimes of the new amphipathic agents were dependent on the method used to attach the long-chain alkyl groups. © 1991 Academic Press, Inc.
Technology and Learning: Reimagining the Textbook

Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information? —The Rock, T. S. Eliot The textbook as we know it has been likened to a dinosaur; presently domina...
New storage methods and improved trapping techniques for the parasitic nematode Neoaplectana carpocapsae

Abstract The parasitic nematode Neoaplectana carpocapsae had consistently high survival when it was stored at 3°C on moist filter paper ca. 1 year. Oxygen-enriched storage atmospheres were found unnecessary. During the second year of storage, mortality was a little higher, an average of ca. 37%. Storage for 19 months did not significantly reduce nematode infectivity. Survival during trapping was improved by controlling the number of cadavers per trap.
The parasitemia in experimental toxoplasmosis.

The discovery by Wolf et al1 in 1939 that Toxoplasma gondii is the etiological agent of a highly fatal disease of infants has led to the description of an increasingly large number of cases in recent years. While the majority of cases have been neonatal, characterized by hydrocephalus, cerebral calcifications, and chorioretinitis, a few adult cases have also been reported. The majority of cases of adult infection appear, however, to go unnoticed; and mothers who show no evidence of disease can trans-
Effect of cyclodextrin on intermolecular photoalkoxycarbonylmethylation of anisole

Abstract The photolyses of anisole ( 1 ) and pentyl chloroacetate ( 2b ) in isotropic media produce both alkylation products 3b–5b and dipentyl succinate ( 6b ). In α- and β-CD complexes in aqueous solutions, 6b was absent and the o -alkylation product 3b was predominant. A cage effect and geometric control are attributed to the observed selective product distribution in α- and β-CD complexes in aqueous solutions.
Year-Class Strength and Recovery of Endangered Shortnose Sturgeon in the Hudson River, New York

Abstract Shortnose sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum, a U.S. endangered species, has experienced a fourfold increase in abundance in the Hudson River in the past three decades. The age structure and trends in year-class strength of yearlings were investigated to evaluate the underlying pattern of annual recruitment that accompanied population recovery. Annuli in pectoral spine sections were used to estimate ages of specimens captured with gill nets bimonthly from November 2003 to November 2004. Age estimates (range = 5–30 years) were generated for 554 shortnose sturgeon ranging from 49 to 105 cm total length. Hindcast year-class strengths corrected for gear selectivity and cumulative mortality indicated high recruitments (31,000–52,000 yearlings) during 1986–1992. This interval was preceded and succeeded by approximately 5-year periods of lower recruitment (6,000–17,500 yearlings), suggesting 10-fold recruitment variability over the 20-year period. The pattern and relative magnitude of hindcast recruitment ...
The effect of drift on the experimental semivariogram

When nonlinear drift is present, the nature of the bias in the experimental semivariogram estimator of the semivariogram function is determined by the extent and density of the sampling as well as by the drift function itself. The bias caused by drift may affect the interpretation of the experimental semivariogram over its entire range.
Reduced discretization error in HZETRN

The deterministic particle transport code HZETRN is an efficient analysis tool for studying the effects of space radiation on humans, electronics, and shielding materials. In a previous work, numerical methods in the code were reviewed, and new methods were developed that further improved efficiency and reduced overall discretization error. It was also shown that the remaining discretization error could be attributed to low energy light ions (A<4) with residual ranges smaller than the physical step-size taken by the code. Accurately resolving the spectrum of low energy light particles is important in assessing risk associated with astronaut radiation exposure. In this work, modifications to the light particle transport formalism are presented that accurately resolve the spectrum of low energy light ion target fragments. The modified formalism is shown to significantly reduce overall discretization error and allows a physical approximation to be removed. For typical step-sizes and energy grids used in HZETRN, discretization errors for the revised light particle transport algorithms are shown to be less than 4% for aluminum and water shielding thicknesses as large as 100g/cm^2 exposed to both solar particle event and galactic cosmic ray environments.
Variables predictive of outcome in 832 patients undergoing repairs of the descending thoracic aorta.

(Chest 1993; 104:1248.53) epair of the descending thoracic aorta for aneurysms and aortic dissection has become a relatively safe operation in terms of survival;i6 however, the risk of postoperative complications has remained unchanged. We, therefore, evaluated our results in an effort to determine the factors associated with postoperative complications and death . Identification of the independent predictors may result in methods of lowering the risk of postoperative complications.
Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma: Objective Response to Letrozole

Abstract Background. Low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma is generally an indolent tumor rich in estrogen and progesterone receptors. Objective responses to hormonal therapy, most commonly with megestrol acetate, have been reported. Case. The patient is a 51-year-old woman who presented with low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma confined to the uterus in 1991 and was treated with total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Approximately 5 years later, the patient had recurrent pelvic disease treated with radiation therapy, followed by an attempt at resection. She was treated with megestrol acetate during the period she received radiation therapy with poor tolerance. Tamoxifen was then given with no tumor response. Megestrol acetate was restarted with progression of disease in the pelvis and abdomen. Letrozole was then given at a daily dose of 2.5 mg with partial response for a duration of 9 months. Conclusion. Letrozole at a daily dose of 2.5 mg may be effective in low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma with positive estrogen receptors.
A novel technique of lumbar hernia repair using bone anchor fixation

Lumbar hernias are difficult to repair due to their proximity to bone and inadequate surrounding tissue to buttress the repair. We analyzed the outcome of patients undergoing a novel retromuscular lumbar hernia repair technique. The repair was performed in ten patients using a polypropylene or polytetrafluoroethylene mesh placed in an extraperitoneal, retromuscular position with at least 5 cm overlap of the hernia defect. The mesh was fixed with circumferential, transfascial, permanent sutures and inferiorly fixed to the iliac crest by suture bone anchors. Five hernias were recurrent, and five were incarcerated; seven were incisional hernias, and three were posttraumatic. Back and abdominal pain was the most common presenting symptom. Mean hernia size was 227 cm(2) (60-504) with a mesh size of 620 cm(2) (224-936). Mean operative time was 181 min (120-269), with a mean blood loss of 128 ml (50-200). Mean length of stay was 5.2 days (2-10), and morphine equivalent requirement was 200 mg (47-460). There were no postoperative complications or deaths. After a mean follow-up of 40 months (3-99) there have been no recurrences. Our sublay repair of lumbar hernias with permanent suture fixation is safe and to date has resulted in no recurrences. Suture bone anchors ensure secure fixation of the mesh to the iliac crest and may eliminate a common area of recurrence.
Nitrogen Extraction by Cotton Fertilized with Broiler Litter

Ineffi cient extraction of litter-derived N and its loss to the immediate environment is a concern when poultry litter is used as a fertilizer. This research determined the magnitude of N extraction by cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fertilized with broiler litter with or without supplemental inorganic N. Extraction of N by cotton fertilized with litter rates of 2.2, 4.5, and 6.7 Mg ha −1 in combination with 0, 34, or 67 kg ha −1 N as urea–ammonium nitrate (UAN) was determined on two farms, one at Cruger and another at Coffeeville, MS, in 2002 to 2004. The treatment that received 4.5 Mg ha −1 litter plus 67 kg ha −1 UAN-N was among the treatments that had the largest N extraction with an average across years of 233 kg N ha −1 total extraction at Cruger and 183 kg N ha −1 at Coffeeville. These extractions were more or only slightly less than the total applied N. An average of 56% of extracted N at Cruger and 62% at Coffeeville was partitioned to seed and lint, which represents an amount that would be removed from the fi eld. The remainder is bound in plant parts with little or no risk of becoming released to the immediate environment until the plant parts decompose. These results demonstrate cotton is effi cient at extracting N supplied by as much litter as 6.7 Mg ha −1 when supplemented with inorganic N. The risk of N detrimentally affecting the immediate environment when cotton is fertilized with litter plus inorganic N is no greater than when fertilized with 100% inorganic N fertilizers.
New chromosomal mapping assignments for argininosuccinate synthetase pseudogene 1, interferon-beta 3 gene, and the diazepam binding inhibitor gene.

Argininosuccinate synthetase pseudogene 1 (ASSP1), interferon-β3 (IFNB3) gene, and diazepam binding inhibitor (DBI) gene have previously been mapped to human chromosome 2. Their nucleotide sequences, recorded in the GENBANK data base, were used to generate DNA primers to amplify specific sequences using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). These primers failed to amplify DNA sequences when used to analyze microcell hybrid clones containing human chromosome 2. In order to map these genes, a panel of somatic cell hybrids was analyzed by PCR with these primer sets. The results of these experiments place ASSP1 sequences on human chromosome 6, IFNB3 on human chromosome 8, and DBI on human chromosome 6.
Analysis of the 3-7 October 2000 and 15-24 April 2002 geomagnetic storms with an optimized nonlinear dynamical model

[1] A computationally optimized low-dimensional nonlinear dynamical model of the magnetosphere-ionosphere system called WINDMI is used to analyze two large geomagnetic storm events, 3–7 October 2000 and 15–24 April 2002. These two important storms share common features such as the passage of magnetic clouds, shock events from coronal mass ejections, triggered substorms, and intervals of sawtooth oscillations. The sawtooth oscillations resemble periodic substorms but occur in association with strong or building ring current populations and have injection regions that are unusually close to the Earth and unusually wide in magnetic local times (Henderson et al., 2006; Borovsky et al., 2007). The April 2002 event includes one of the best examples of sawtooth events ever observed. On 18 April 2002, sawtooth oscillations were clearly visible when solar wind conditions (IMF Bz, density, pressure) were relatively steady with a slowly varying Dst. In this study, WINDMI is used to model the 3–7 October 2000 and 15–24 April 2002 geomagnetic activity. WINDMI results are evaluated focusing on the sawtooth intervals and the overall prediction of the westward auroral electrojet (AL) index and Dst index. The input to the model is the dynamo driving voltage derived from the fluctuating solar wind plasma and the interplanetary magnetic field measured by the ACE satellite. The output of the model is a field-aligned current proportional to the AL index and the energy stored in the ring current which is proportional to the Dst index. The model parameters are optimized using a genetic algorithm (GA) to obtain solutions that simultaneously have least mean square fit to the AL and Dst indices and also exhibit substorms of period 2–4 hours. The GA optimization results show that the model is able to predict the Dst index reliably and captures the timing and periodicity of the sawtooth signatures in the AL index reasonably well for both storm events.
Invariance and optimality in the regulation of an enzyme

Background The Michaelis-Menten equation, proposed a century ago, describes the kinetics of enzyme-catalyzed biochemical reactions. Since then, this equation has been used in countless, increasingly complex models of cellular metabolism, often including time-dependent enzyme levels. However, even for a single reaction, there remains a fundamental disconnect between our understanding of the reaction kinetics, and the regulation of that reaction through changes in the abundance of active enzyme.
The Acidity of Uracil from the Gas Phase to Solution: The Coalescence of the N1 and N3 Sites and Implications for Biological Glycosylation

The gas-phase acidities of the N1 and N3 sites of uracil have been bracketed to provide an understanding of the intrinsic reactivity of this nucleic base. The experiments indicate that in the gas phase, the N3 site is far less acidic (ΔHacid = 347 ± 4 kcal mol-1) than the N1 site (ΔHacid = 333 ± 4 kcal mol-1), in direct contrast to in solution, where the two sites are so close in acidity as to be unresolvable. This intrinsic difference and the coalescence in solution is interpreted through gas-phase and dielectric-medium calculations. The results point to a possible chemical reason that N1 is the preferred glycosylation site in nature: nature may simply take advantage of the differential N1 and N3 acidities in a nonpolar environment to achieve selectivity.
Requirements for insertion of bacteriophage λ DNA into the DNA of Escherichia coli

Abstract Insertion of phage λ DNA into the normal attachment site of the DNA of the host Escherichia coli has been studied by ultracentrifugation analysis of the conversion of covalent circles of F′450 (F′ gal att λ bio ) to F′450(λ) circles. We have found that integration proceeds at the normal rate if, in addition to the int gene product and a proper combination of phage and bacterial attachment sites, a large pool of λ DNA and some activity of the excision gene xis are present. In addition, turnoff of both phage DNA synthesis and xis gene activity are required.
PLASMA PROTEIN METABOLISM—ELECTROPHORETIC STUDIES THE INFLUENCE OF PLASMA LIPIDS ON ELECTROPHORETIC PATTERNS OF HUMAN AND DOG PLASMA

Electrophoretic patterns of human and dog plasma are markedly altered by the extraction of a large part of the plasma lipids. Total electrophoretic areas, relative areas of individual electrophoretic components, and electrophoretic albumin: globulin ratios undergo change. For human plasma, such extractions confirm previous observations that a particularly rich lipid content characterizes beta globulin. Abnormally large beta peaks regularly occur in the presence of elevated plasma lipids. Marked increases in gamma globulin, however, are also found to be due in large part to elevated plasma lipid levels in certain abnormal human plasmas. The greatest relative amount of lipid in dog plasma, in contrast to human plasma, is associated not with the beta globulin, but with components usually designated as alpha globulins. Not only the areas, but the configuration and the number of alpha globulin peaks in dog plasma are altered by the extraction of plasma lipids. The results demonstrate that increased alpha globulin areas which occur in the plasma of hypoproteinemic dogs are due in large part to elevated plasma lipid levels.
Brief Report: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Reciprocal Imitation Training for Teaching Elicited and Spontaneous Imitation to Children with Autism

Children with autism exhibit significant deficits in imitation skills. Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT), a naturalistic imitation intervention, was developed to teach young children with autism to imitate during play. This study used a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of RIT on elicited and spontaneous imitation skills in 21 young children with autism. Results found that children in the treatment group made significantly more gains in elicited and spontaneous imitation, replicating previous single-subject design studies. Number of spontaneous play acts at pre-treatment was related to improvements in imitation during the intervention, suggesting that children with a greater play repertoire make greater gains during RIT.
Localized conformational perturbation of human serum albumin. A study of the thyroxine binding site at the amino terminus

Abstract The principal thyroxine binding site on human serum albumin is in the region of the amino terminus. Binding at this site is accompanied by a bathochromic shift in the thyroxine spectrum which is different from the spectrophotometric titration of thyroxine in solution. No spectral change is associated with binding at the secondary sites. The primary thyroxine binding site is more sensitive to urea denaturation than the molecule as a whole. A concentration of 0.5 m , which has no discernible effect on the overall conformation of serum albumin reduced the bathochromic shift without change in the association constant. Therefore, the thyroxine-protein interactions which produce the spectral change do not contribute appreciably to the binding energy. In 2 m urea, the primary binding site begins to deteriorate. At this urea concentration overall conformational alterations can be detected in serum albumin. Of the five secondary binding sites, only one was insensitive to both 0.5 and 2 m urea. Therefore, although it was possible to account for the binding at all of the secondary sites with the assumption of a single association constant this group of binding sites is heterogeneous. The sensitivity of the region of the amino terminus to urea denaturation was also demonstrated with leucineaminopeptidase, which can cleave the amino terminal amino acid in 0.5 m urea but cannot attack native serum albumin. No thyroxine binding was observed in 4 m urea. The selective denaturation by urea of the thyroxine binding sites is considered to be due to particular urea sensitivity of specific, mutually insulated, regions of the albumin molecule.
Renewable Portfolio Standards in the Presence of Green Consumers and Emissions Trading

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions trading, green pricing programs and renewable portfolio standards (RPS) are three concurrent policies implemented in the United States to reduce reliance on fossil fuel and GHG emissions. Despite their differences in policy targets, they are closely related and integrated with competitive electric markets. This paper examines the interactions among these three policies by considering two aspects of the RPS policy design: double-counting and bundling. Whereas the former grants utilities using the same MWh of renewable energy to meet RPS and to sell as green power, the latter allows them to bundle the renewable energy credits/certificates (RECs) with non-renewable electricity and sell as green power. This paper studies the policy designs by formulating each policy combination as a market model, which treats electricity as a differentiated product. We derive the conditions under which the REC price serves as the upper bound of the green premium or vice versa. The theoretical analysis shows that the bundling could be redundant in the presence of double counting. The policies that allow for double-counting appear to be a better choice, since they result in a higher social surplus. Most surplus gains are due to consumers surplus from green power sales. The framework we develop in this paper is capable of incorporating other detailed policy designs in the analysis such as strategic reserve and offset.