cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Insurance and Quality of Care for Adults with Acute Asthma

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between health care insurance and quality of medical care remains incompletely studied. We sought to determine whether type of patient insurance is related to quality of care and subsequent outcomes for patients who arrive in the emergency department (ED) for acute asthma. DESIGN: Using prospectively collected data from the Multicenter Airway Research Collaboration, we compared measures of quality of pre-ED care, acute severity, and short-term outcomes across 4 insurance categories: managed care, indemnity, Medicaid, and uninsured. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Emergency departments at 57 academic medical centers enrolled 1,019 adults with acute asthma. RESULTS: Patients with managed care ranked first and uninsured patients ranked last on all 7 unadjusted quality measures. After controlling for covariates, uninsured patients had significantly lower quality of care than indemnity patients for 5 of 7 measures and had lower initial peak expiratory flow rates than indemnity insured patients. Patients with managed care insurance were more likely than indemnity-insured patients to identify a primary care physician and report using inhaled steroids in the month prior to arrival in the ED. Patients with Medicaid insurance were more likely than indemnity-insured patients to use the ED as their usual source of care for problems with asthma. We found no differences in patient outcomes among the insurance categories we studied. CONCLUSIONS: Uninsured patients had consistently poorer quality of care and than insured patients. Despite differences in indicators of quality of care between types of insurance, we found no differences in short-term patient outcomes by type of insurance.
Long-term Outcomes of Repeat vs Initial Trabeculectomy in Open-Angle Glaucoma

Purpose To evaluate the long-term intraocular pressure (IOP) control and to identify risk factors for failure of repeat trabeculectomy with mitomycin C (MMC) in patients with open-angle glaucoma. Design Retrospective case-control study. Methods Seventy-five eyes (67 patients) that had undergone repeat trabeculectomy with MMC were matched to 75 eyes (64 patients) that had undergone initial trabeculectomy with MMC according to age, gender, race, diagnosis, preoperative IOP, number of glaucoma medications, and lens status in an institutional setting. Surgical successes were defined as: 1) IOP ≤18 mm Hg and ≥ 20% reduction in IOP, 2) ≤ 15 mm Hg IOP and ≥ 25% reduction in IOP, and 3) ≤ 12 mm Hg IOP and ≥ 30% reduction in IOP from baseline, with or without glaucoma medications, and were assessed by Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. Risk factors for failure in the repeat trabeculectomy group were analyzed by the Cox proportional hazard regression model. The main outcome measures were success rate, number of medications, and visual acuity. Results Eyes that underwent initial trabeculectomy with MMC had a statistically significantly higher cumulative surgical success rate than those that underwent repeat trabeculectomy with MMC at 3 years according to criteria B (61.3% vs 41.3%; P = .022) and C (52.0% vs 32.0%; P = .021). In eyes that underwent repeat trabeculectomy, younger age and requirement of laser suture lysis were significant risk factors for surgical failure. Eyes that underwent initial trabeculectomy required a statistically fewer number of medications than eyes that underwent repeat trabeculectomy (0.6 vs 1.2; P = .013). Conclusions Repeat trabeculectomy with MMC is less successful at achieving IOP reduction in open-angle glaucoma than is initial trabeculectomy with MMC at 3 years or more.
Application of regional parameter estimation schemes to simulate the water balance of a large continental river

Abstract Two applications of a grid network version of the two-layer variable infiltration capacity (VIC-2L) land surface hydrology model applied at one degree resolution to the Arkansas–Red River basin are compared. In the first application, gridded parameter fields were linearly interpolated from locally estimated parameters (via a search procedure) at a set of 40 unregulated catchments distributed throughout the Arkansas–Red River basin with long-term gage records. In the second application, the grid network model was run using the same precipitation and potential evapotranspiration as in the first application, but with parameters transferred to the large area grid from the gaged catchments via regression of the locally estimated parameters on catchment soils, topographic, and climatological characteristics. In both cases, the model was run at a daily time-step, and vegetation parameters were fixed (with prescribed seasonal variation but no interannual variation in the case of leaf area index). Generally, the simulations based on the regional regression transfer scheme performed significantly better than those based on the interpolated parameters; at the mouth of the Arkansas the absolute simulation error for annual flows was reduced from 7.3 to 1.3%, and for the Red, it was reduced from 12 to 1.7%. However, the basin-wide annual evapotranspiration and its seasonal cycle were relatively insensitive to the hydrological parameter estimation schemes.
Circulating microRNA profiles in human patients with acetaminophen hepatotoxicity or ischemic hepatitis

We have identified, by quantitative real-time PCR, hundreds of miRNAs that are dramatically elevated in the plasma or serum of acetaminophen (APAP) overdose patients. Most of these circulating microRNAs decrease toward normal levels during treatment with N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). We identified a set of 11 miRNAs whose profiles and dynamics in the circulation during NAC treatment can discriminate APAP hepatotoxicity from ischemic hepatitis. The elevation of certain miRNAs can precede the dramatic rise in the standard biomarker, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and these miRNAs also respond more rapidly than ALT to successful treatment. Our results suggest that miRNAs can serve as sensitive diagnostic and prognostic clinical tools for severe liver injury and could be useful for monitoring drug-induced liver injury during drug discovery.
Direct Legislation: Determinants of Legislator Support for Voter Initiatives

This article examines the determinants of legislator support for a Kansas constitu tional amendment to authorize the use of voter initiatives. Although mixed, the results suggest that Kansas House members were more likely to vote for the amendment the greater their difficulty in representing their constituents' interests. Difficulty was, in part, proxied by constituent heterogeneity. Although it appears special interest money came into play, there is no evidence that representatives voted to protectfund-raising capacity. Surprisingly, antigovernment sentiment, as proxied by constituent support for Ross Perot's presidential campaign, did not appear to influence representative voting.
Differential expression of non-muscle myosin heavy chain genes during Xenopus embryogenesis

Class II non-muscle myosins are implicated in diverse biological processes such as cytokinesis, cellularization, cell shape changes and gastrulation. Two distinct non-muscle myosin heavy chain genes have been reported in all vertebrates: non-muscle myosin heavy chain-A (NMHC-A) and -B (NMHC-B). We report here the isolation of the Xenopus homolog of NMHC-A and present a comparative analysis of the developmental and spatial expression patterns of NMHC-A and the previously isolated NMHC-B to address the role of NMHCs in Xenopus development. A 7.5 kb NMHC-A mRNA is present, maternally in unfertilized eggs and throughout embryogenesis, as well as in all adult tissues examined. An additional 8.3 kb zygotic transcript for NMHC-A is also detected, but only during embryonic stages. Whole mount in situ hybridization with tailbud stage embryos shows that NMHC-A mRNA is predominantly expressed in the epidermis, whereas NMHC-B mRNA is expressed in the somites, brain, eyes and branchial arches. Interestingly, the expression of NMHC-B in developing somites is gradually restricted to the center of each somite as differentiation proceeds. DAPI nuclear staining demonstrated that NMHC-B mRNA is colocalized with the nuclei or perinuclear area. In animal cap experiments, treatment with activin A or ectopic expression of Xbra and an activated form of Xlim1 markedly up-regulates NMHC-B as well as muscle actin mRNAs and slightly down-regulates NMHC-A mRNA, consistent with NMHC-B expression in the somitic muscle and NMHC-A expression in the epidermis.
Micro-Scale Electrohydrodynamic Pumped High Performance Actuation:

A new type of actuation device has been conceptualized that meets the needs of both large displacement force and bandwidth within a package more compact than the currently available magnetostrictive and stack-type piezoelectric actuators of similar rating. This concept relies on micro-scale electrohydrodynamic (EHD) pumping of a dielectric liquid within small channels. Configured as an actuator, the EHD pump(s) would be used to move fluid between two reservoirs-each having a compliant membrane that interfaces to the world to provide the means to achieve vibration cancellation or micro actuation. Ordinarily limited to generating flow in macroscale applications, the EHD pump, when operating in a thermal induction mode, is shown to exhibit an exciting scaling law as its size is reduced. As the pump volume to surface area decreases, the energy going toward increasing pressure in the pump has an increasingly larger effect. Since the volume/surface area is proportional to 1 /a, where a is the characteristic width or diameter of the channels comprising the pump, the pressure head generated scales similarly. Analytical and numerical studies have shown the EHD-pumped actuator to be capable of delivering equal force and bandwidth to magnetostrictive and stack-type piezo actuators, but with considerably greater displacement and a smaller size. Further, this type of actuator offers the possibility for deployment in active vibration control or micro actuation applications at significantly greater temperatures than for piezoelectric and magnetostrictive devices.
Analysis of mass and energy flow rates in an orifice pulse-tube refrigerator

The relationship among the curves of mass flow rate, temperature and pressure as a function of time in an orifice pulse-tube refrigerator is analyzed to explain the previously measured distortion of mass flow rate and temperature oscillation curves. The mass flow rate and temperature oscillations are described in terms of fundamental oscillations and harmonics, where the frequency of the fundamental oscillation is the same as that of the sinusoidal pressure oscillation. The time-averaged enthalpy flow rate and other energy flow rates are expressed in terms of the amplitude and phase of the fundamental oscillation of the mass flow rate through the orifice.
Acute Kidney Injury Increases Mortality After Lung Transplantation

Background Acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) is associated with increased mortality after cardiac surgery. Studies examining the impact of RRT after lung transplantation (LTx) are limited. We evaluated risk factors and outcomes associated with RRT after LTx. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all LTx recipients in the United Network for Organ Sharing database. Preoperative renal function was stratified by glomerular filtration rate (GFR) as determined by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula (strata: ≥90, 60 to 90, and Results From 2001 to 2011, 12,108 patients underwent LTx. After LTx, 655 patients (5.51%) required RRT. Patients requiring post-LTx RRT had decreased survival at 30 days (96.7% versus 76.0%, p Conclusions In the largest study to evaluate acute kidney injury after LTx, the incidence of RRT is 5.51%. The need for post-LTx RRT dramatically increases both short- and long-term mortality. Several variables, including preoperative renal function, are predictors of post-LTx RRT and could be used to identify transplant candidates at risk for acute kidney injury.
Changes in the organization of actin filaments in the stereocilia of noise-damaged lizard cochleae.

Abstract Alligator lizards exposed to a 105 dB broadband noise for 24 h showed a 33 dB loss in hearing which was almost completely recovered 11 days after removal from the noise. Two lesions were found in the actin filament organization which could affect the rigidity of the stereocilia and thus could account for this hearing loss. These lesions preferentially affect the tallest stereocilia. The more common one is a depolymerization of the actin filaments at the base of the stereocilium where it makes contact with the cuticular plate. This results in a displacement and detachment of the stereocilium from its rootlet, thereby affecting the orientation of the tallest stereocilium. The other lesion involves a loss in crossbridges between adjacent actin filaments in the stereocilium. We demonstrate that such a loss will dramatically affect the rigidity of the stereocilia.
Convolution, Correlation, And Storage Of Optical Data In Inhomogeneously Broadened Absorbing Materials

We discuss the light signals that are coherently emitted by some optical absorbers sub-sequent to excitation by a series of three laser excitation pulses. In some cases, the light signal emitted by the material duplicates the temporal shape of one of the laser in-put pulses. In other cases, the emitted signal represents the convolution or cross-correlation of two of the laser input pulses. In principle, digitally encoded signals of multi-gigahertz bandwidth can be convolved in real time, or, in suitable materials, stored for long periods. Output signals on the order of a few percent as intense as the inputs are possible. We provide experimental demonstrations of these effects, and discuss their implementation in optical signal processing and data storage systems.
Modeling solar still production using local weather data and artificial neural networks

Abstract A study has been performed to predict solar still distillate production from single examples of two different commercial solar stills that were operated for a year and a half. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of modeling solar still distillate production using artificial neural networks (ANNs) and local weather data. The study used the principal weather variables affecting solar still performance, which are the daily total insolation, daily average wind velocity, daily average cloud cover, daily average wind direction and daily average ambient temperature. The objectives of the study were to assess the sensitivity of the ANN predictions to different combinations of input parameters as well as to determine the minimum amount of inputs necessary to accurately model solar still performance. It was found that 31–78% of ANN model predictions were within 10% of the actual yield depending on the input variables that were selected. By using the coefficient of determination, it was found that 93–97% of the variance was accounted for by the ANN model. About one half to two thirds of the available long term input data were needed to have at least 60% of the model predictions fall within 10% of the actual yield. Satisfactory results for two different solar stills suggest that, with sufficient input data, the ANN method could be extended to predict the performance of other solar still designs in different climate regimes.
Predicted macroinvertebrate response to water diversion from a montane stream using two-dimensional hydrodynamic models and zero flow approximation

We used two-dimensional hydrodynamic models for the assessment of water diversion effects on benthic macroinvertebrates and associated habitat in a montane stream in Yosemite National Park, Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA, USA. We sampled the macroinvertebrate assemblage via Surber sampling, recorded detailed measurements of bed topography and flow, and coupled a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model with macroinvertebrate indicators to assess habitat across a range of low flows in 2010 and representative past years. We also made zero flow approximations to assess response of fauna to extreme conditions. The fauna of this montane reach had a higher percentage of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (%EPT) than might be expected given the relatively low faunal diversity of the study reach. The modeled responses of wetted area and area-weighted macroinvertebrate metrics to decreasing discharge indicated precipitous declines in metrics as flows approached zero. Changes in area-weighted metrics closely approximated patterns observed for wetted area, i.e., area-weighted invertebrate metrics contributed relatively little additional information above that yielded by wetted area alone. Loss of habitat area in this montane stream appears to be a greater threat than reductions in velocity and depth or changes in substrate, and the modeled patterns observed across years support this conclusion. Our models suggest that step function losses of wetted area may begin when discharge in the Merced falls to 0.02 m3/s; proportionally reducing diversions when this threshold is reached will likely reduce impacts in low flow years.
Effect of Carbohydrate Limitation on Degradation and Utilization of Casein by Mixed Rumen Bacteria

Abstract Mixed rumen bacteria were incubated in media containing salts, ammonia, vitamins, volatile fatty acids, sulfide, and casein. When initial cell density was 1.0 absorbance unit and mixed carbohydrates (glucose, sucrose, maltose, cellobiose, and soluble starch) were provided at 0, 40, 80, and 160 mg/liter per h, cell growth was limited by carbohydrates, average bacterial growth rate was slow ( Casein hydrolysis was accompanied by marked accumulation of peptides that were metabolized slowly by rumen bacteria. High pressure liquid chromatography indicated that the peptide pool was composed primarily of four fractions. Carbohydrate availability or bacterial growth had little influence on proteolysis or peptide accumulation. Ammonia production was always inversely proportional to rate of carbohydrate feeding. Nitrogen-15 labeling studies indicated that 66% of the cell nitrogen was derived directly from casein at all rates of carbohydrate addition. If average bacterial growth rate was approximately .07/h, little casein entered the ammonia pool even though large amounts of peptide or casein remained undegraded.
Rochester's Flour-Milling Industry in Pre-Canal Days

The early development of Rochester as a flour-milling center demonstrates several themes. Here, as in countless other places, the resiliency of the petty capitalist in the face of natural disasters and violent commodity price swings stands clear. But the early millers, flexible and energetic in entrepreneurial activity, were also, like their product, perishable. The broader and more important pattern is that of the persistence of an industry favored by basic geographic and market circumstances. Individual milk succumbed in rapid sequence, but rapidly they were replaced. Surviving the handicap of limited capital, the milling industry burst its heal bonds and exploited the regional potentialities of water access to Canada. Transition to what then amounted to a national market came in 1823, when the Erie Canal linked Rochester with the Hudson. Thus a new epoch was forecast, when a broadened market would not only stimulate local growth but shape it through complex economic influences hitherto little felt by the millers on the Genesee.
NovaNET Applications within Innovative Course Design for Preservice Teachers

During the past decade, computerized simulation and six related CBI lessons on the NovaNET (formerly PLATO) instructional delivery system have been pioneered into an early childhood preservice teacher education program at a large southeastern university.1 Related research has shown that this mode of instruction is highly effective in undergraduate teacher education. Approximately 450 subjects (experimental and controlled) have already taken five CBI lessons or responded to an attitudinal survey related to computers in education. These lessons were carefully selected because of their relationship to the scope and sequence of a prerequisite curriculum course to student teaching. Positive results related to integrating CBI into one section of a curriculum course over seven years, have inspired the expansion of this mode of instruction to three to four other sections of the same course. Implementation of CBI into other areas of the early childhood curriculum is also optimistic.
Variations in the Beta-Glucuronidase Activity of Tuberculous Pleural Effusions

1) Determinations of Beta-glucuronidase activity were done on specimens of fluid from all chest aspirations of tuberculous patients at this hospital during the period of study. 2) Many of these effusions contained pus cells in sufficient quantity to appear turbid. The glucuronidase activity appeared roughly proportional to the turbidity. 3) In certain clear fluids the glucuronidase activity seemed to be in osmotic equilibrium with the blood serum. The activity of others, however, rose high above that of the blood serum, and some speculations were presented regarding the source of this extra glucuronidase activity. 4) As long as fluid remained clear, the glucuronidase activity seemed to be higher in effusions of short duration than in those of long standing. 5) Certain clear fluids had a very high activity out of proportion to others of their age. 6) No correlation could be seen between the glucuronidase activity and the presence of the tubercle bacillus in the fluid.
Compactness of products of Hankel operators on the polydisk and some product domains in C2

Abstract Let D n be the polydisk in C n and the symbols ϕ , ψ ∈ C ( D n ¯ ) such that ϕ and ψ are pluriharmonic on any ( n − 1 ) -dimensional polydisk in the boundary of D n . Then H ψ ∗ H ϕ is compact on A 2 ( D n ) if and only if for every 1 ⩽ j , k ⩽ n such that j ≠ k and any ( n − 1 ) -dimensional polydisk D, orthogonal to the z j -axis in the boundary of D n , either ϕ or ψ is holomorphic in z k on D. Furthermore, we prove a different sufficient condition for compactness of the products of Hankel operators. In C 2 , our techniques can be used to get a necessary condition on some product domains involving annuli.
DyReCTape: a dy namically re configurable c ache using domain wall memory tape s

Spintronic memories offer superior density, non-volatility and ultra-low standby power compared to CMOS memories, and have consequently attracted great interest in the design of on-chip caches. Domain Wall Memory (DWM) is a spintronic memory technology with unparalleled density arising from a tape-like structure. However, such a structure involves serialized access to the bits stored in each bit-cell, resulting in increased access latency, and thereby degrading performance. Prior efforts address this challenge either by limiting the number of bits per tape, in effect sacrificing the density benefits of DWM, or through cache management policies that can only partly alleviate the shift overhead. We observe that there exists significant heterogeneity in sensitivity to cache capacity and access latency across different applications, and across distinct phases of an application. We also make the key observation that DWM tapes offer a natural mechanism to tradeoff density for access latency by limiting the number of domains of each tape that are actively used to store cache data. Based on this insight, we propose DyReCTape, a dynamically reconfigurable cache that packs maximum bits per tape and leverages the intrinsic capability of DWMs to modulate the active bits per tape with minimal overhead. DyReCTape uses a history-based reconfiguration policy that tracks the number of shift operations incurred and miss rate to appropriately tailor the capacity and access latency of the DWM cache. We further propose two performance optimizations to DyReCTape: (i) a lazy migration policy to mitigate the overheads of reconfiguration, and (ii) re-use of the portion of the cache that is unused (due to reconfiguration) as a victim cache to reduce the number of off-chip accesses. We evaluate DyReCTape using applications from the PARSEC and SPLASH benchmark suites. Our experiments demonstrate that DyReCTape achieves 19.8% performance improvement over an iso-area SRAM cache and 11.7% performance improvement (due to a 3.4X reduction in the number of shifts) over a state-of-the-art DWM cache.
Cloning of chicken choline acetyltransferase and its expression in early embryonic retina.

Abstract The enzyme choline acetyltransferase [EC 2.3.1.6] (ChAT) synthesizes the neurotransmitter acetylcholine that plays a key morphogenic role in vertebrate retina development. As the embryonic avian retina is particularly useful for morphogenetic studies, we cloned the complete coding region of chicken ChAT cDNA. At the deduced amino acid level, chicken ChAT is approximately 76% identical to mammalian ChAT proteins. We also report here the cloning of the complete 5′ end of the complex cholinergic locus. This locus contains both the ChAT gene and the nested intronless gene for the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT). The genomic organization of the 5′ end of the chicken cholinergic locus is similar to that reported in other vertebrate species. A 5.7 kb mRNA corresponding to the ChAT message was detected in both embryonic retina and post-hatch brain. An analysis of the ChAT mRNA in embryonic chick retina shows that the message can be detected by E6 and its level increased during early retinal development. Vertebrate ChAT mRNAs can contain one or more of three non-coding exons, M, N or R and by RT-PCR we demonstrate, at least, a chicken ChAT mRNA containing exon M.
Creating inclusive communities through pedagogy at three elementary schools

This qualitative study investigated how pedagogy-driven schools create inclusive communities. From the analysis of open-ended interviews with members of 3 pedagogically driven public elementary schools (Core Knowledge, Experiential, and Montessori) in the United States of America, 3 themes emerged: (1) community and culture, (2) structure, and (3) responsibility and expectations. The emphasis on community building and conscious attention to culture was universal: Members wanted to be at that school, there was a strong belief in the pedagogy, and all school community members were clear that their most important outcome was student success. Each school had 3 essential building blocks in their pedagogy: academic education, affective education, and individualization of instruction. Each school expected adults and students to set and achieve high behavior and learning targets. Recommendations for applying these findings by practitioners and researchers are provided.
Ligation of Siglec-8: a selective mechanism for induction of human eosinophil apoptosis.

Sialic acid binding immunoglobulin-like lectin 8 (Siglec-8), which exists in 2 isoforms including one possessing cytoplasmic tyrosine motifs, is expressed only on human eosinophils, basophils, and mast cells. Until now, its function was unknown. Here we define a novel function of Siglec-8 on eosinophils. Siglec-8 cross-linking with antibodies rapidly generated caspase-3–like activity and reduced eosinophil viability through induction of apoptosis. The pancaspase inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl (Cbz)–Val-Ala-Asp-(Ome)-fluoromethyl ketone (zVAD-FMK) completely blocked this response, implicating caspases in Siglec-8 cross-linking–induced apoptosis. Eosinophil survival-promoting cytokines such as interleukin 5 (IL-5) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) failed to block apoptosis and instead enhanced the sensitivity of eosinophils to undergo apoptosis in response to Siglec-8 antibody. Siglec-8 activation may provide a useful therapeutic approach to reduce numbers of eosinophils (and perhaps basophils and mast cells) in disease states where these cells are important.
Electron effects in the Neutralized Transport Experiment (NTX)

The Neutralized Transport Experiment (NTX) at the Heavy Ion Fusion Virtual National Laboratory is exploring the performance of neutralized final focus systems for high-perveance heavy ion beams. To focus a high-intensity beam to a small spot requires a high-brightness beam. In the NTX experiment, a potassium ion beam of up to 400 keV and 80 mA is generated in a Pierce-type diode. At the diode exit, an aperture with variable opening provides the capability to vary the beam perveance. The beam is transported through four quadrupole magnets to a distance of 2.5 m. The beam can be neutralized and focused using a MEVVA plasma plug and a RF plasma source. We shall report on the measurement of the electron effects and the ways to mitigate the effects. Furthermore, we shall present the results of EGUN calculations consistent with the measurements effects of the electrons.
Health reform and the safety net: big opportunities; major risks.

Millions of Americans are dependent on what is often called the “safety net.” These loosely-organized networks of health and social service providers serve the many Americans who are uninsured, dependent on public coverage, or for a variety of reasons unable to access other private systems of care. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, America’s Health Care Safety Net: Intact but Endangered, called attention to both the fragility and the resilience of this health care safety net. The IOM report underscored the critical importance of the safety net to the health and well-being of millions of individuals and called for efforts to strengthen it and improve the nation’s ability to monitor its viability. Given this central role, any health care reform efforts need to be fully informed by an understanding of what the safety net includes, how it is financed, and how it is responding to a series of challenges it now faces.
Drought‐stress‐induced polypeptide accumulation in tomato leaves

Abstract. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill ev. Ailsa Craig) leaf polypeptides, radiolabelled with L-[36S] methionine during drought stress, were separated by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Three sets of polypeptides were distinguished: those that decreased, increased or transiently increased in response to drought stress. Three sets of polypeptides also could be distinguished during recovery from drought stress: those that increased, decreased rapidly or decreased slowly and could still be detected after 6 h of recovery. The set of polypeptides that decreased during drought stress was the same set that increased during recovery and those that increased during stress, decreased during recovery. The leaf ABA concentration increased rapidly in response to drought stress and decreased rapidly during recovery from drought stress, returning to the nonstress level after 6 h of rehydration. There was a correlation between the accumulation of some of the drought-induced polypeptides and the pattern of ABA accumulation during stress and recovery from stress.
Arsenite transport by mammalian aquaglyceroporins AQP7 and AQP9

Much is known about the transport of arsenite and antimonite into microbes, but the identities of mammalian transport proteins are unknown. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae FPS1 gene encodes a membrane protein homologous to the bacterial aquaglyceroporin GlpF and to mammalian aquaglyceroporins AQP7 and AQP9. Fps1p mediates glycerol uptake and glycerol efflux in response to hypoosmotic shock. Fps1p has been shown to facilitate uptake of the metalloids arsenite and antimonite, and the Escherichia coli homolog, GlpF, facilitates the uptake and sensitivity to metalloid salts. In this study, the ability of mammalian aquaglyceroporins AQP7 and AQP9 to substitute for the yeast Fps1p was examined. The fps1Δ strain of S. cerevisiae exhibits increased tolerance to arsenite and antimonite compared to a wild-type strain. Introduction of a plasmid containing AQP9 reverses the metalloid tolerance of the deletion strain. AQP7 was not expressed in yeast. The fps1Δ cells exhibit reduced transport of 73As(III) or 125Sb(III), but uptake is enhanced by expression of AQP9. Xenopus laevis oocytes microinjected with either AQP7 or AQP9 cRNA exhibited increased transport of 73As(III). These results suggest that AQP9 and AQP7 may be a major routes of arsenite uptake into mammalian cells, an observation potentially of large importance for understanding the action of arsenite as a human toxin and carcinogen, as well as its efficacy as a chemotherapeutic agent for acute promyelocytic leukemia.
Emerging trends in Ukrainian management styles and the challenge of managerial talent shortage

Many Ukrainian firms experience managerial difficulties due to a lack of qualified managers. This shortage of managerial talent affects many firms, regardless of their size and origin. To solve this problem, small/entrepreneurial firms as well as medium‐size firms rely mainly on their own managerial talents, while larger organizations turn to consulting management. Consulting management in the Ukraine is still in its infancy and suffers from a lack of managerial and restructuring experience in a free‐market economy. This paper explains an organizational improvement model developed based on a small advertising agency that could be generalized for use by other firms.
Extracting the bulk effective parameters of a metamaterial via the scattering from a single planar array of particles

Abstract In this paper we present a method for retrieving the effective parameters of a metamaterial composed of a regular rectangular orthorhombic lattice of linear biaxially anisotropic particles suspended in free space. By assuming the point–dipole interaction approximation, equations are derived which extract the electric and magnetic polarizabilities of the individual particles given the measured or simulated scattering parameters of a single planar array of particles. These results are in turn substituted into the Clausius–Mossotti equations to find the bulk effective permittivity and effective permeability. To demonstrate our approach, the extraction method is applied to a metamaterial consisting of a cubic arrangement of magnetodielectric spheres using the scattering parameters obtained by simulating the structure with Ansoft HFSS. Our results show good agreement with a known analytical solution at frequencies in which the Clausius–Mossotti approximation is valid.
Molecular Engineering of Heterogeneous Catalysts: An Efficient Catalyst for the Production of Hydrogen Peroxide

Abstract A goal of chemists for many years has been to control the structure of solid-state compounds to induce desired chemical properties. A porous metal phosphonate compound with chemically active pillaring groups, which allow for the direct production of hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen and oxygen, has been designed. The porous compound, Zr 2 (PO 4 )(O 3 PCH 2 CH 2 -bipyridinium-CH 2 CH 2 PO 3 )X 3 ċ3H 2 O (X = halide) was prepared by low-temperature hydrothermal reaction. The organic groups of this material act as pillars for the inorganic layers, leading to large pores (ca. 8 × 9 A) in the solid. Platinum and palladium colloids can be incorporated into the structure by ion-exchanging the free halide with a solution of K 2 MCl 4 (M = Pd or Pt) followed by hydrogen reduction. In these materials, the Pt and Pd colloids act as microelectrodes for the reduction of viologen by hydrogen, which selectively reduces oxygen to hydrogen peroxide. Treatment of aqueous suspensions of these porous catalysts with H 2 and O 2 gases at atmospheric pressure leads to H 2 O 2 solutions with concentrations as high as 0.21 M . Reactions carried out at higher pressures lead to significantly higher concentrations of H 2 O 2 . The yield of H 2 O 2 based on H 2 consumed was estimated at 40%.
Chondrules: Their Diversity and the Role of Open-System Processes during Their Formation

Abstract After classification into compositional groups using their cathodoluminescence properties, chondrules were chiseled from sections of the least metamorphosed ordinary chondrites, Semarkona and Krymka. This technique avoided biases due to size and friability and ensured that all classes were adequately sampled. The chondrules were then analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis and their major phases (olivine, pyroxene, metal, mesostasis) were analyzed by electron microprobe. Group A1 and A2 chondrules of Semarkona and group A3 chondrules of Krymka have all the properties expected for chondrules which experienced considerable Fe reduction and evaporative loss during their formation (elemental depletions related to volatility, Fe-poor silicates, Ni-poor metal, significant pyroxene, small sizes). This is not the case for group B1, B2, and A5 chondrules (which have unfractionated bulk silicate compositions, FeO-rich silicates, little or no metal, little pyroxene, large sizes). Group A chondrules in Semarkona generally have thicker metal–sulfide-rich rims than group B chondrules, a situation similar to that of the Murchison CM2 chondrite, except that in Murchison aqueous alteration has destroyed the metal and sulfide. Group A chrondrules sometimes show compositional zoning in their mesostases and we suggest that both mesostasis zoning and chondrule rims are the products of recondensation during chondrule formation. Cooling rates differ considerably with chondrule class. Group A1–3 and A5 chondrules cooled relatively slowly and maintained a degree of equilibrium between melt and phenocrysts, while group B1 and B2 chondrules cooled rapidly and underwent considerable supercooling. The chondrule-forming process, whatever it was, was clearly capable of acting with a variety of intensities and produced a range of cooling rates. We suggest that the diversity of chondrules cannot be attributed mainly to variations in the properties and abundances of precursors, although this can sometimes be a factor, but can be derived from a fairly similar precursor of solar composition.
The Impact of Cosmetic Defects on Japanese Consumers’ Preference for Fresh Grapefruit

An online survey was conducted to investigate Japanese consumer preferences for fresh grapefruit based on prices and external fruit quality. The impact of 4 types of peel disorders (windscar, rust ...
Human Evolution: Genomic Gifts from Archaic Hominins

The dispersal of humans throughout the world was accompanied by adaptations to local environments. New research shows that a previously identified haplotype of the EPAS1 gene, which allows Tibetans to live at high altitude, was inherited from archaic hominin ancestors.
Tumor vascular permeability measurement based on color image analysis

Characteristic of microscopy vascular data is that it contains many tiny vessels with branching and complex structure. The quantification of these vascular network is crucial in diagnose of vascular abnormalities, surgical planning, and monitoring disease progress or remission. Therefore, developing an image processing method to automatically and accurately quantify the vessel is important. We are researching two algorithms here to isolate the pixels that represent the vessels. Each algorithm has a specific role to play in the extraction of the vessels. The first algorithm uses color ratios to segment vessels and the second helps compensate for light balance issues by breaking the image into segments. The preliminary result is promising.
Accumulation and depletion of trans octadecenoic acid in rat peripheral nerve phospholipid.

Abstract The accumulation and depletion of trans 18:1 acids in the sciatic nerve phospholipids was studied in rats fed a diet containing 18% partially hydrogenated soybean oil of which 45% was trans 18:1. The nerve phospholipid of rats fed partially hydrogenated soybean oil beginning at weaning age reached a maximum incorporation of trans 18:1 of 0.8% in 4 weeks; whereas the nerve phospholipid of 18-day-old pre-weanling pups of mothers fed the partially hydrogenated soybean oil diet since their weaning contained 3.3% trans 18: l. The trans content decreased rapidly after the weaning of these second-generation rats to a steady-state level 50% higher than the maximum level reached in the first generation. Upon removal of partially hydrogenated soybean oil from the diet, the trans 18:1 of nerve phospholipid decreased much more slowly than from liver or heart phospholipid. Essential fatty acid deficiency had no influence on incorporation or removal of trans 18:1 in nerve phospholipid. The accumulation and depletion of frans 18:1 in nerve phospholipid of second-generation partially hydrogenated soybean oil-fed rats parallelled the changes of polyunsaturated fatty acids and was quite different from the changes observed in 18:0 and cis 18:1. Polyunsaturated fatty acids increased in nerve phospholipid from second but not first-generation rats fed partially hydrogenated soybean oil and declined rapidly when partially hydrogenated soybean oil was removed from the diet.
CT diagnosis of intracranial cystic abnormalities in children

The introduction of computed axial tomography has been of tremendous importance in the evaluation of intracranial pathology in children. The broad spectrum of cystic intracranial lesions of congenital, infectious, traumatic, vascular and neoplastic origin are discussed. Their CT findings, pathology and pathogenesis are emphasized.
Safety and Tolerability of Deferoxamine Mesylate in Patients With Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose—Treatment with the iron chelator, deferoxamine mesylate (DFO), improves neurological recovery in animal models of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and tolerability of varying dose-tiers of DFO in patients with spontaneous ICH, and to determine the maximum tolerated dose to be adopted in future efficacy studies. Methods—This was a multicenter, phase-I, dose-finding study using the Continual Reassessment Method. DFO was administered by intravenous infusion for 3 consecutive days, starting within 18 hours of ICH onset. Subjects underwent repeated clinical assessments through 90 days, and computed tomography neuroimaging pre- and post-drug-administration. Results—Twenty subjects were enrolled onto 5 dose tiers, starting with 7 mg/kg per day and ending with 62 mg/kg per day as the maximum tolerated dose. Median age was 68 years (range, 50–90); 60% were men; and median Glasgow Coma Scale and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores on ...
Computer Science Is Different!: Educational Psychology Experiments Do Not Reliably Replicate in Programming Domain

My research explores how learning computer science, specifically programming, differs from learning math or science in relation to educational psychological principles. I have replicated well established experiments from the science and math domains by using instructional design techniques that minimize the cognitive load imposed on the learner. Instead of receiving the expected results confirming that the educational psychology principles also apply to computing, I received unexpected results contrary to the original hypotheses which indicate that merely adapting these principles to a new domain is not enough. I seek to understand what differences exist in learning programming, as compared to the other problem solving domains that explain the confusing experimental results I obtained.
Supporting strategic information needs : an empirical assessment of some organizational factors

Abstract This study examines the direct and indirect impact of organizational context factors (strategy and environment) on the emphasis placed by firms on strategic information support. Data from a questionnaire survey of 167 banking institutions in mid-Western USA are used; analysis of the results shows that firms adopting marketing and service differentiation strategies place greater emphasis on strategic information. Results also indicate that firms facing diverse and volatile environments perceive a greater need for strategic information than firms facing less dynamic ones. Additionally, an analysis of indirect effects suggests that a firm's environment influences its choice of competitive strategy, which, in turn, affects the emphasis placed on strategic information support.
Modulation of olfactory bulb network activity by serotonin: synchronous inhibition of mitral cells mediated by spatially localized GABAergic microcircuits

Although inhibition has often been proposed as a central mechanism for coordinating activity in the olfactory system, relatively little is known about how activation of different inhibitory local circuit pathways can generate coincident inhibition of principal cells. We used serotonin (5-HT) as a pharmacological tool to induce spiking in ensembles of mitral cells (MCs), a primary output neuron in the olfactory bulb, and recorded intracellularly from pairs of MCs to directly assay coincident inhibitory input. We find that 5-HT disynaptically depolarized granule cells (GCs) only slightly but robustly increased the frequency of inhibitory postsynaptic inhibitory currents in MCs. Serotonin also triggered more coincident IPSCs in pairs of nearby MCs than expected by chance, including in MCs with truncated apical dendrites that lack glomerular synapses. That serotonin-triggered coincident inhibition in the absence of elevated GC somatic firing rates suggested that synchronized MC inhibition arose from glutamate receptor-mediated depolarization of GC dendrites or other (non-GC) interneurons outside the glomerular layer. Tetanic stimulation of GCL afferents to GCs triggered robust GC spiking, coincident inhibition in pairs of MCs, and recruited large-amplitude IPSCs in MCs. Enhancing neurotransmission through NMDARs by lowering the external Mg2+ concentration also increased inhibitory tone onto MCs but failed to promote synchronized inhibition. These results demonstrate that coincident MC inhibition can occur through multiple circuit pathways and suggests that the functional coordination between different GABAergic synapses in individual GCs can be dynamically regulated.
4899776 Method and apparatus for emergency disconnection of a fluid petroleum product transfer arm

A method and apparatus for effecting emergency disconnection of a fluid transfer arm from a marine tanker manifold or other vessel to which the arm is connected, including means to purge the arm of fluid prior to disconnection in order to prevent fluid spillage.
Water adsorption and desorption on microporous solids at elevated temperature

An accurate gravimetric method was used to explore water adsorption/desorption isotherms between 105 and to 250°C for a number of synthetic and natural porous solids including controlled pore glass, activated carbon fiber monoliths, natural zeolites, pillared clay, and geothermal reservoir rocks. The main goal of this work was to evaluate water adsorption results, in particular temperature dependence of hysteresis, for relatively uniform, nano-structured solids, in the context of other state-of-the-art experimental and modeling methods including nitrogen adsorption, spectroscopy, neutron scattering, and molecular simulation. Since no single method is able to provide a complete characterization of porous materials, a combination of approaches is needed to achieve progress in understanding the fluid-solid interactions on the way to developing a predictive capability.