cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
T-DNA Insertion Mutagenesis in Arabidopsis: A Procedure for Unravelling Plant Development

With recent advances in molecular biology the study of plant development has gone from a purely descriptive approach to an experimental science. This has been brought on largely by the ability to tag genes with either transposons or T-DNAs and the utility of plant model systems such as Arabidopsis. The ability to use restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) maps and “chromosome walking” techniques will, in the very near future, push the study of plant development forward more rapidly. Other techniques such as differential screening and the use of antisense RNA have proven, or will prove, useful when coupled with tagging procedures or known mutants.
Effect of data weighting on the mature male biomass estimate for Alaskan golden king crab

Abstract Size-structured integrated population dynamics models are used to estimate the time-trajectories of mature male biomass (MMB) of Alaska crab stocks for stock status determination and harvest allocation. Lack of annual biomass surveys makes it difficult to assess the status and biomass of the Aleutian Islands golden king crab ( Lithodes aequispinus ). The assessment for this stock relies on commercial catch, size-composition, crab bycatch in groundfish (trawl and fish pot) fisheries, effort, catch-per-unit of effort, and tagging data to determine the biomass and other stock assessment parameters. The effect of data re-weighting (i.e., stage-2 weighting) methods on MMB estimates was investigated for this stock in relation to the sensitivity of the trends in MMB to the data re-weighting method. The McAllister and Ianelli, and Francis methods were used to re-weight the size-composition data and Punt’s method was applied to re-weight the tagging data. Model misspecification (e.g., natural mortality and growth) and the effect of omitting a potentially conflicting data source on estimates of MMB were also investigated. Re-weighting and model misspecification changed the magnitude of estimated values for MMB and their coefficients of variation, but not the MMB trends. The stage-2 weighting of tagging data led to slightly lower estimates of MMB. Under the robust multinomial likelihood for size-composition data, there was not much of a difference between the results of the McAllister and Ianelli method, which ignores correlations in residuals for size-compositions, and the Francis method, which explicitly accounts for these correlations. Specifically, both re-weighting methods led to similar trends, precision, and point estimates of MMB. The R 0 profiles indicated that there was information for abundance estimation when all the data were considered under base or variable growth increment scenarios. The CPUE indices were more informative about absolute abundance than the size-composition data. Hence the issue of data weighting should continue to be explored using case studies.
District Voter Turnout and Dyadic Representation in Congress

ABSTRACTOne of the most important tools by which citizens can influence their elected officials' behavior is through voting—the electoral connection. Previous studies demonstrate that the opinions of voters are better represented than the opinions of nonvoters within an electoral jurisdiction, but we do not know whether jurisdictions with higher levels of aggregate voter turnout are better represented by their elected officials compared to those with lower levels of turnout. Using data compiled across five congressional sessions (2003–2013), this article investigates whether congressional districts with higher voter turnout are better represented by their member of Congress (MC). We find evidence that district voter turnout positively conditions the relationship between district opinion and MC voting behavior even after accounting for the possible effects of electoral competition and district income and racial demographics. In addition, we uncover evidence that partisan differences exist in this condition...
Negotiating the Non-negotiable

This paper is divided into two main sections. The first uses the discussion of a case of marital conflict to articulate a framework for thinking about negotiating the non-negotiable. For various parties involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict, many of the issues seem non-negotiable and it may be helpful to consider the general conditions that are relevant to determining whether negotiations are apt to take place and to succeed. The second section addresses the question of what could be done, under present circumstances, to promote constructive negotiations.
Multimodal Investigation of Network Level Effects Using Intrinsic Functional Connectivity, Anatomical Covariance, and Structure-to-Function Correlations in Unmedicated Major Depressive Disorder

Converging evidence suggests that major depressive disorder (MDD) affects multiple large-scale brain networks. Analyses of the correlation or covariance of regional brain structure and function applied to structural and functional MRI data may provide insights into systems-level organization and structure-to-function correlations in the brain in MDD. This study applied tensor-based morphometry and intrinsic connectivity distribution to identify regions of altered volume and intrinsic functional connectivity in data from unmedicated individuals with MDD (n=17) and healthy comparison participants (HC, n=20). These regions were then used as seeds for exploratory anatomical covariance and connectivity analyses. Reduction in volume in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and lower structural covariance between the ACC and the cerebellum were observed in the MDD group. Additionally, individuals with MDD had significantly lower whole-brain intrinsic functional connectivity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). This mPFC region showed altered connectivity to the ventral lateral PFC (vlPFC) and local circuitry in MDD. Global connectivity in the ACC was negatively correlated with reported depressive symptomatology. The mPFC–vlPFC connectivity was positively correlated with depressive symptoms. Finally, we observed increased structure-to-function correlation in the PFC/ACC in the MDD group. Although across all analysis methods and modalities alterations in the PFC/ACC were a common finding, each modality and method detected alterations in subregions belonging to distinct large-scale brain networks. These exploratory results support the hypothesis that MDD is a systems level disorder affecting multiple brain networks located in the PFC and provide new insights into the pathophysiology of this disorder.
On the Performance and Cost of Cloud-Assisted Multi-path Bulk Data Transfer

Since the Internet is an aggregation of multiple ASes (Autonomous Systems), congestion control and utilization are not globally optimized. For example, it is not uncommon that a direct shortest route with low latency delivers less bandwidth than an alternative, long and roundabout route. Previous research has shown that geospatially distributed computing instances in commercial clouds offer users an opportunity to deploy relay points to detour potentially congested ASes, and as a means to diversify paths to increase overall bandwidth and reliability. Such opportunity comes with a cost, as cloud-routed paths incur cost of not only provisioning of computing resources, but also for additional traffic to/from Internet. Well-established protocols, such as TCP, were created based on assumption of single end-point to end-point transfer; nonetheless, current computing devices have multiple end-points, and the increasing availability of overlay networks allows multiplexing multiple virtual network flows into a single physical network interface. In this paper, we empirically evaluate the extent to which using cloud paths to transfer data in parallel with the default Internet path can improve the end-to-end bandwidth in bulk data transfers. In our evaluation, we consider single-stream and multi-stream TCP transfers across one or more paths. Moreover, we suggest an application level design pattern that takes advantage of this improved aggregate bandwidth to reduce data transfer times.
The real peso–dollar rate and US–Mexico industry trade: an asymmetric analysis

In an attempt to improve upon previous analyses and find further evidence for exchange rate theories such as the ‘J‐curve', numerous studies have introduced novel econometric approaches that might help uncover significant results through disaggregation and nonlinearity. This study applies the nonlinear cointegration method of Shin et al. () to US–Mexican trade balances in 91 individual industries. While the linear model yields support for the ‘J‐curve' effect in 16 industries, the nonlinear model raises this number to 29 which includes the two largest industries that engage in 35% of the trade between two countries. Furthermore, while the short‐run asymmetric effects of exchange rate changes were discovered in almost all industries, short‐run effects translated to significant long‐run asymmetric effects in 52 industries.
Subsymbolic computation theory for the human intuitive processor

The classic theory of computation initiated by Turing and his contemporaries provides a theory of effective procedures--algorithms that can be executed by the human mind, deploying cognitive processes constituting the conscious rule interpreter. The cognitive processes constituting the human intuitive processor potentially call for a different theory of computation. Assuming that important functions computed by the intuitive processor can be described abstractly as symbolic recursive functions and symbolic grammars, we ask which symbolic functions can be computed by the human intuitive processor, and how those functions are best specified--given that these functions must be computed using neural computation. Characterizing the automata of neural computation, we begin the construction of a class of recursive symbolic functions computable by these automata, and the construction of a class of neural networks that embody the grammars defining formal languages.
CORONARY ARTERY CALCIUM IS ASSOCIATED WITH 90-DAY MACE AT ANY LEVEL OF ISCHEMIC BURDEN IN PATIENTS REFERRED FOR PET/CT

Coronary artery calcium (CAC) represents the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and is associated with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). It is unclear whether CAC predicts risk for MACE beyond assessment of ischemic burden (IB). Symptomatic patients without a history of CAD
Web application security: teaching resources and tools

The workshop aims to introduce participants to the basics of Web Application Security. Attendees interested in cybersecurity in general and Web Application Security in particular will be introduced to a host of open-source and readily available technologies, resources, and tools. Depending on their specific teaching needs, participants stand to benefit from the workshop in two ways: (1) revamp the Web applications security module within their existing cybersecurity courses and/or (2) develop a stand-alone Web Application Security course. The workshop will guide the participants through a series of hands-on exercises to demonstrate different types of Web application attacks (e.g., cross-site scripting, SQL injection, and session hijacking). Participating faculty will be provided with a pre-built virtual machine (Ubuntu Linux) with all the workshop resources (vulnerable Web applications, tools, and exercises) pre-installed and configured. To maximize learning, we recommend attendees to bring laptops with virtualization software (e.g., VMware Player and/or VirtualBox) pre-installed on them.
The design and construction of reference pangenome graphs with minigraph

The recent advances in sequencing technologies enable the assembly of individual genomes to the quality of the reference genome. How to integrate multiple genomes from the same species and make the integrated representation accessible to biologists remains an open challenge. Here, we propose a graph-based data model and associated formats to represent multiple genomes while preserving the coordinate of the linear reference genome. We implement our ideas in the minigraph toolkit and demonstrate that we can efficiently construct a pangenome graph and compactly encode tens of thousands of structural variants missing from the current reference genome.
Synthesis and Characterization of a Diazirine-Based Photolabel of the Nonanesthetic Fropofol.

The mechanisms of general anesthetics have been debated in the literature for many years and continue to be of great interest. As anesthetic molecules are notoriously difficult to study due to their low binding affinities and multitude of binding partners, it is advantageous to have additional tools to study these interactions. Fropofol is a hydroxyl to fluorine-substituted propofol analogue that is able to antagonize the actions of propofol. Understanding fropofol's ability to antagonize propofol would facilitate further characterization of the binding interactions of propofol that may contribute to its anesthetic actions. However, the study of fropofol's molecular interactions has many of the same difficulties as its parent compound. Here, we present the synthesis and characterization of ortho-azi-fropofol (AziFo) as a suitable photoaffinity label (PAL) of fropofol that can be used to covalently label proteins of interest to characterize fropofol's binding interactions and their contribution to general anesthetic antagonism.
The Role of Dermatologists in the Early HIV/AIDS Epidemic: A Historical Review for the 40th Anniversary of HIV/AIDS

In 1981, the HIV/AIDS epidemic was first recognized in young gay men presenting with opportunistic infections and Kaposi sarcoma. Over the past 40 years, there has been an unparalleled and hugely successful effort on the part of physicians, scientists, public health experts, community activists, and grassroots organizations to study, treat, and prevent HIV/AIDS. Yet the role of dermatologists in the investigation of HIV/AIDS and in the treatment of infected patients has largely been neglected in the historical literature. It is important to revisit dermatologists’ historic contributions and problematic biases during this epidemic and honor the legacy of the dermatologists who were instrumental in treating and advocating for patients affected by HIV/AIDS.
A Wavelet Approach to the Estimation of Left Ventricular Early Filling Wave Propagation Velocity from Color M-Mode Echocardiograms.

Abstract A new approach to calculating left ventricular (LV) early filling propagation velocity (VP) from color M-mode echocardiograms using wavelet analysis is described. Current methods for measuring VP do not account for the spatiotemporal variation in VP. They are confined by empirical assumptions and user inputs that hinder the accuracy of VP, limiting its clinical utility. We evaluated three methods for measuring LV early filling: conventional VP, the strength of propagation (VS) and wavelet propagation velocity (VW) determined from the most energetically significant wave (peak VW). Group A comprised 125 patients (n = 50 normal filling, n = 25 impaired relaxation, n = 25 pseudonormal filling and n = 25 restrictive filling), and group B comprised 69 patients (n = 32 normal, n = 15 dilated and n = 22 hypertrophic). Peak VW most accurately distinguished normal from diseased patients. For group A, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.92 for peak VW versus 0.62 for VP, 0.63 for VS and 0.58 for intraventricular pressure difference. These correspond to a 50%–70% improvement in classification ability. Similar improvements were measured in group B. Peak VW may provide a more accurate evaluation of diastolic function than standard methods and enable better diagnostic classification of patients with diastolic dysfunction.
A Class of Hierarchical Random Effect Models for Posterior Insurance Ratemaking

Poisson random effect panel data model is widely used in non-life insurance for posterior rate making. Recently, Lee et al. (2020) identify one shortcoming of the shared random effect assumption, which introduces both the marginal count distribution and the serial dependence between counts at different periods. Therefore, it is not possible to accommodate separately these two features. This shortcoming also exists for any other nonlinear (say, gamma, or negative binomial) random effect regression model. In this note we propose a family of hierarchical random effect model, allowing to separate its effect on the marginal and the serial dependence structure of the observable dependent variables. The model we propose has several advantages. First it is very tractable, with closed form likelihood function and posterior rate making formula. Second, it is very general and suitable for a large number of marginal distributions of the random effect and conditional distributions of the response variable, such as the gamma-Poisson, beta-negative binomial pair distributions, as well as some new non conjugate pairs. Finally, it is also applicable to the simultaneous pricing of a large number of risks encountered in fleet insurance.
Stability of MRI contrast agents in high-energy radiation of a 1.5T MR-Linac.

Abstract Background Gadolinium-based contrast is often used when acquiring MR images for radiation therapy planning for better target delineation. In some situations, patients may still have residual MRI contrast agents in their tissue while being treated with high-energy radiation. This is especially true when MRI contrast agents are administered during adaptive treatment replanning for patients treated on MR-Linac systems. Purpose The purpose of this study was to analyze the molecular stability of MRI contrast agents when exposed to high energy photons and the associated secondary electrons in a 1.5T MR-Linac system. This was the first step in assessing the safety of administering MRI contrast agents throughout the course of treatment. Materials and methods Two common MRI contrast agents were irradiated with 7 MV photons to clinical dose levels. The irradiated samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry to detect degradation products or conformational alterations created by irradiation with high energy photons and associated secondary electrons. Results No significant change in chemical composition or displacement of gadolinium ions from their chelates was discovered in samples irradiated with 7 MV photons at relevant clinical doses in a 1.5T MR-Linac. Additionally, no significant correlation between concentrations of irradiated MRI contrast agents and radiation dose was observed. Conclusion The chemical composition stability of the irradiated contrast agents is promising for future use throughout the course of patient treatment. However, in vivo studies are needed to confirm that unexpected metabolites are not created in biological milieus.
Abject pilgrimage and healing in Jaume Roig's Spill.

In the Spill o Llibre de les dones, the fifteenth-century writer and physician from Valencia, Jaume Roig, uses the motif of pilgrimage to attack earthly women, particularly women healers. Roig undermines the salutary function of medieval pilgrimage in order to expose mundane women in their effort to harm male pilgrims. Since men cannot rely on earthly women, they must seek a healing encounter with the Virgin, whose salutary ministrations always are constant and efficacious. Roig’s assault on women through pilgrimage further relates to larger social attempts to marginalize traditional women healers from legitimate salutary practice, since he aims to dissuade male readers from seeking women’s healing services in everyday society.
Architectural Features Affecting Total Scalability of Parallel Systems

Abstract Traditional scalability studies of (algorithm, architecture) pairs have concentrated on effective algorithms to implement application codes running on particular parallel computer system architectures. This paper concentrates on the architectural features of system hardware and software which, if implemented, will result in systems that are totally scalable in that they will have near ideal speedup for a wider range of algorithms and applications. It describes the major types of current systems, technology trends and the scalability of desirable architectural features for parallel computing systems.
Wrongdoing by Officers and Directors of Charities: A Survey of Press Reports 1995-2002

This paper presents the results of a survey of newspaper reports published between 1995 and 2002 of incidents involving allegations of criminal and civil wrongdoing by officers and directors of charitable organizations. Of the one hundred and fifty-two incidents found, one hundred and four entailed criminal activity, fifty-four involved breaches of the duties of loyalty and prudence - self-dealing, failing to carry out the mission of the charity, and negligent management of assets - while six fell into both categories. The authors set forth the limitations of a study of this nature and point to problems of governance that emerged from their findings.
Decentralized CFAR detection based on order statistics

In this paper, we analyze the performance of distributed constant false alarm rate (CFAR) detection with data fusion both in homogeneous and nonhomogeneous Gaussian backgrounds. We employ the ordered statistics (OS) CFAR detectors as local detectors. In the homogeneous background, we maximize the global probability of detection for a given fixed global probability of false alarm by optimizing both the threshold multipliers and the order numbers of the local OS-CFAR detectors. In the nonhomogeneous background with multiple targets or clutter edges, we analytically analyze the performance of the detection system and compare its performance with the performance of the distributed cell-averaging (CA) CFAR detection system. >
The American Ballot Box in the Mid-Nineteenth Century

Preface 1. Introduction 2. Structure and practice of elections 3. Social construction of identity in Eastern rural communities 4. Ethno-cultural stereotypes and voting in large cities 5. Frontier democracy 6. Loyal oaths, troops, and elections during the civil war 7. Conclusion.
Distinct Molecular Phenotypes of Direct vs Indirect ARDS in Single-Center and Multicenter Studies

BACKGROUND ARDS is a heterogeneous syndrome that encompasses lung injury from both direct and indirect sources. Direct ARDS (pneumonia, aspiration) has been hypothesized to cause more severe lung epithelial injury than indirect ARDS (eg, nonpulmonary sepsis); however, this hypothesis has not been well studied in humans. METHODS We measured plasma biomarkers of lung epithelial and endothelial injury and inflammation in a single-center study of 100 patients with ARDS and severe sepsis and in a secondary analysis of 853 patients with ARDS drawn from a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Biomarker levels in patients with direct vs indirect ARDS were compared in both cohorts. RESULTS In both studies, patients with direct ARDS had significantly higher levels of a biomarker of lung epithelial injury (surfactant protein D) and significantly lower levels of a biomarker of endothelial injury (angiopoietin-2) than those with indirect ARDS. These associations were robust to adjustment for severity of illness and ARDS severity. In the multicenter study, patients with direct ARDS also had lower levels of von Willebrand factor antigen and IL-6 and IL-8, markers of endothelial injury and inflammation, respectively. The prognostic value of the biomarkers was similar in direct and indirect ARDS. CONCLUSIONS Direct lung injury in humans is characterized by a molecular phenotype consistent with more severe lung epithelial injury and less severe endothelial injury. The opposite pattern was identified in indirect lung injury. Clinical trials of novel therapies targeted specifically at the lung epithelium or endothelium may benefit from preferentially enrolling patients with direct and indirect ARDS, respectively.
Characterization of a locus determining the mucoid status of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: AlgU shows sequence similarities with a Bacillus sigma factor.

Overproduction of the exopolysaccharide alginate by Pseudomonas aeruginosa results in mucoid colony morphology and is an important virulence determinant expressed by this organism in cystic fibrosis. Mucoidy is transcriptionally regulated by signal transduction systems and histone-like elements. One point of convergence of regulatory elements controlling mucoidy is the algD promoter. A newly described genetic locus required for algD transcription was characterized in this study. This DNA region, cloned from a nonmucoid PAO strain, was initially isolated on the basis of its ability to suppress mucoidy when present on a plasmid. The suppressing activity was observed in several mucoid PAO derivatives, including strain PAO568, in which the mapped muc-2 mutation is responsible for its mucoid phenotype, and in close to 40% of cystic fibrosis strains tested. Protein expression studies detected two polypeptides with apparent molecular masses of 27.5 and 20 kDa encoded by the region required for the suppression activity. The gene encoding the polypeptide with an apparent molecular mass of 27.5 kDa, termed algU, was further characterized. A functional chromosomal copy of algU was found to be necessary for the expression of mucoidy. Insertional inactivation of algU on the chromosome of the mucoid strain PAO568 abrogated alginate production and algD transcription. DNA sequence analysis revealed sequence similarity of the predicted algU gene product with sigma H (Spo0H), a sigma factor involved in the control of sporulation and competence in Bacillus spp. Physical mapping revealed that algU resided on the same SpeI fragment (F) as did the pruAB locus, known to be tightly linked with genetic determinants (muc) which can confer mucoidy in genetic crosses. When the chromosomal algU copy was tagged with a Tcr cassette (algU::Tcr), a tight genetic linkage of algU with pruAB was demonstrated by F116L-mediated generalized transduction. Moreover, algU::Tcr derivatives of PAO568 (originally carrying the muc-2 marker) lost the ability to transfer mucoidy in genetic crosses. These results suggest that algU, a regulator of algD transcription showing sequence similarity to an alternative sigma factor, and the genes immediately downstream of algU may be associated with a locus participating in the differentiation into the mucoid phenotype. Images
Hypoxia inhibits amino acid uptake in human lung fibroblasts.

Hypoxia and amino acid deprivation downregulate expression of extracellular matrix genes in lung fibroblasts. We examined the effect of hypoxia on amino acid uptake and protein formation in human l...
Mon pays, c’est le feu. Le Québec, le Canada, les forêts et le feu

Le feu fait partie integrante de la realite de l’arriere-pays boreal du Quebec et, au fur et a mesure que la colonisation et l’exploitation forestiere ont penetre dans les terres a partir des rives du Saint-Laurent, le gouvernement a cree des organismes pour proteger les villes et les concessions forestieres. Cette evolution a longtemps ete regie par un equilibre entre les interets concurrents de la colonisation, de l’industrie et de l’Etat, ce qui rendait difficile l’elaboration d’une strategie coherente. En 1972, l’Etat a impose sa predominance et depuis, les strategies provinciales de protection contre le feu se sont de plus en plus jointes a celles du Canada et font que la protection contre les incendies au Quebec s’apparente davantage a celle mise en place par le gouvernement canadien que les strategies des autres provinces. Pourtant, la strategie ne reconnait toujours pas la logique du feu lui-meme; une troisieme solitude dans le paysage quebecois.
Possible neurocognitive benefits of exercise in persons with heart failure.

More than 6 million Americans have heart failure (HF) and more than 500,000 are diagnosed each year. In addition to its many adverse medical consequences, HF is also a significant risk factor for neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and associated with cognitive impairment long prior to the onset of these conditions. Converging bodies of literature suggest cognitive dysfunction in HF may be at least partially modifiable. One key mechanism for cognitive improvement is improved cerebral blood flow, which may be possible with exercise in patients with HF. This brief review provides a model for the likely neurocognitive benefits of exercise in HF and encourages further work in this area.
LOCAL SYMMETRY BREAKING IN PARAMAGNETIC INSULATING (AL,V)2O3

The local structure of (Al 0 . 0 0 6 V 0 . 9 4 ) 2 O 3 in the paramagnetic insulating (PI) and antiferromagnetically ordered insulating (AFI) phase has been investigated using hard and soft x-ray absorption techniques. It isshown that (1) on a local scale, the symmetry of the vanadium sites in both the PI and AFI phases is the same and (2) the vanadium-3d-oxygen-2p hybridization, as gauged by the oxygen Is absorption edge, is the same for both phases, but distinctly different from the paramagnetic metallic phase of pure V 2 O 3 . These findings can be understood in the context of a recently proposed model which relates the long-range monoclinic distortion of the antiferromagnetically ordered state to orbital ordering, if orbital short-range order in the Pl phase is assumed. The measured anisotropy of the x-ray absorption spectra is discussed in relation to spin-polarized density functional calculations.
Comparative in vitro activity and beta-lactamase stability of RU29246, the active metabolite of HR916B.

HR 916B is a new orally absorbed cephalosporin. In tests its active metabolite, RU29246, inhibitedStreptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae andStreptococcus pneumoniae at ≤ 0.12 µg/ml, which is similar to the antibacterial activity of cefuroxime, and was more active than cefaclor. It was also more active (MIC 2 µg/ml) than cefixime, cefuroxime, cefaclor and cefotaxime against staphylococci. RU29246 inhibitedEscherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter diversus, Klebsiella oxytoca, Proteus mirabilis, Providencia stuartii andSalmonella spp. at ≤ 1 µg/ml, thus being more active than cefuroxime and cefaclor, but was less active than cefixime and cefotaxime. It did not inhibitPseudomonas aeruginosa and otherPseudomonas spp.,Enterobacter spp.,Serratia marcescens orBacteroides fragilis. RU29246 was not hydrolyzed by TEM-1,Staphylococcus aureus TEM-2 orMoraxella catarrhalis beta-lactamases, but was hydrolyzed by TEM-3 and the chromosomal beta-lactamases ofProteus vulgaris andMorganella morganii. Plasmid and chromosomal beta-lactamases were inhibited by RU29246.
Surgical decortication as the first-line treatment for pleural empyema.

Objective The study objective was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of surgical decortication as the first line of treatment for pleural empyema. Methods We analyzed the medical records of 111 patients who presented with empyema and were treated with simple drainage or surgical decortication as the first line of treatment at Gangnam Severance Hospital, a tertiary referral medical center in Seoul, Korea. Results Of 111 patients with empyema, 27 underwent surgical decortication as the first intervention. Surgical decortication showed a better treatment success rate in all study subjects (96.3%, 26/27 patients) compared with simple drainage (58.3%, 49/84 patients; P P = .003). Surgical decortication as the first line of treatment for empyema was the best predictor of treatment success after adjustment for compounding factors (odds ratio, 14.529; 95% confidence interval, 1.715-123.074; P = .014). Conclusions The first treatment choice for pleural empyema is a critical determinant of ultimate therapeutic success. After adjusting for confounding variables, surgical decortication is the optimal first treatment choice for advanced empyema.
Dimensionless relations for predicting arc size in a generator

The Rosa et al. (1988) theory for arc behavior in a boundary layer is presently simplified and nondimensionalized in order to clarify the dependence of arc size on the various operating conditions, as well as to facilitate the correlation of experimental data and its extrapolation to full-scale hardware. The dimensionless law derived can predict arc size on the electrode walls of an MHD device; the predictions obtained agree with both experimental data and the results of a more complex numerical model.
Error analysis in laparoscopic surgery

Iatrogenic complications in laparoscopic surgery, as in any field, stem from human error. In recent years, cognitive psychologists have developed theories for understanding and analyzing human error, and the application of these principles has decreased error rates in the aviation and nuclear power industries. The purpose of this study was to apply error analysis to laparoscopic surgery and evaluate its potential for preventing complications. Our approach is based on James Reason's framework using a classification of errors according to three performance levels: At the skill-based performance level, slips are caused by attention failures (eg, inattention, overattention), and lapses result from memory failures (eg, omitting, forgetting plans). Rule-based mistakes (eg, misapplication of good rule or application of bad rule) constitute the second level. Knowledge-based mistakes occur at the highest performance level and are caused by shortcomings in conscious processing (eg, selectivity, workspace limitations, confirmation bias, overconfidence, inadequate training). These errors committed by the performer,,at the sharp end occur in typical situations which often times are brought about by already built-in latent system failures. We present a series of case studies in laparoscopic surgery (eg, bile duct injury during lap cholecystectomy, perforation during lap fundoplication) in which errors are classified and the influence of intrinsic failures and extrinsic system flaws are evaluated. Most serious technical errors in lap surgery stem from a rule-based or knowledge-based mistake triggered by cognitive underspecification due to incomplete or illusory visual input information. Error analysis in laparoscopic surgery should be able to improve human performance, and it should detect and help eliminate system flaws. Complication rates in laparoscopic surgery due to technical errors can thus be considerably reduced.
Toward a rhetorical epistemology

This essay offers a prolegomenon for a systematic theory of rhetorical epistemology. Rather than advancing a fully‐developed theory of the epistemic function of rhetorical discourse, the authors delineate some of the important assumptions, definitions, and relationships upon which their theory is constructed. It is posited that rhetorical discourse is the description of reality through language and that knowledge is justified true belief. Examining the inherent interface between rhetoric and knowledge, the authors conclude by underscoring the differentiative, associative, preservative, evaluative, and perspective functions of epistemic discourse.
Cardiac motion tracking with multilevel B-splines and SinMod from tagged MRI

Cardiac motion analysis can play an important role in cardiac disease diagnosis. Tagged magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has the ability to directly and non-invasively alter tissue magnetization and produce tags on the deforming tissue. This paper proposes an approach to analysis of tagged MR images using a multilevel B-splines fitting model incorporating phase information. The novelty of the proposed technique is that phase information is extracted from SinMod.1 By using real tag intersections extracted directly from tagged MR image data and virtual tag intersections extracted from phase information, both considered to be scattered data, multilevel B-spline fitting can result in accurate displacement motion fields. The B-spline approximation which also serves to remove noise in the displacement measurements is performed without specifying control point locations explicitly and is very fast. Dense virtual tag intersections based on SinMod were created and incorporated into the multilevel B-spline fitting process. Experimental results on simulated data from the 13- parameter kinematic model of Arts et al.2 and in vivo canine data demonstrate further improvement in accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Predictors of malignancy in childhood peripheral lymphadenopathy

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with malignant etiologies of childhood peripheral lymphadenopathy and to construct a model that may be used to assess the risk of malignancy. Methods: The medical records of 60 consecutive patients 18 years old or less who underwent peripheral lymph node biopsies were reviewed. Results: Increasing node size, number of sites of adenopathy, and age were associated with an increasing risk of malignancy ( P P P P P = .43) the presence of fever ( P = .36), cough ( P = .14) splenomegaly ( P = .93), skin involvement ( P = .39), tenderness ( P = .49) and bilateral adenopathy ( P = .39). Fluctuance was associated with benign adenopathy ( P Conclusions: The risk of malignancy increased with increasing size and number of sites of adenopathy and age. Other significant predictors of malignancy included supraclavicular location, an abnormal chest x-ray, and fixed nodes. These data may be used to supplement clinical judgment to predict the risk of malignancy.
Embedding FD(ω) into {\mathcal{P}_s} densely

Let \({\mathcal{P}_s}\) be the lattice of degrees of non-empty \({\Pi_1^0}\) subsets of 2ω under Medvedev reducibility. Binns and Simpson proved that FD(ω), the free distributive lattice on countably many generators, is lattice-embeddable below any non-zero element in \({\mathcal{P}_s}\) . Cenzer and Hinman proved that \({\mathcal{P}_s}\) is dense, by adapting the Sacks Preservation and Sacks Coding Strategies used in the proof of the density of the c.e. Turing degrees. With a construction that is a modification of the one by Cenzer and Hinman, we improve on the result of Binns and Simpson by showing that for any \({\mathcal{U} < _s \mathcal{V}}\) , we can lattice embed FD(ω) into \({\mathcal{P}_s}\) strictly between \({deg_s(\mathcal{U})}\) and \({deg_s({\mathcal V})}\) . We also note that, in contrast to the infinite injury in the proof of the Sacks Density Theorem, in our proof all injury is finite, and that this is also true for the proof of Cenzer and Hinman, if a straightforward simplification is made.
Fiberoptic Pulmonary Angioscopy: A Comparison Of Two Prototype Angioscopes

We have used two prototype fiberoptic angioscopes to visualize the interior of the right heart and pulmonary arteries to aid in the detection and localization of chronic pulmonary emboli, a difficult disease to diagnose with standardly available imaging techniques. The initial prototype was shorter, wider, and had less distal flexibility than the newer prototype. The initial prototype was used in eight patients and the angioscopic examination led to a change in the diagnosis in four. It also allowed more accurate localization of chronic emboli which aided the surgical approach in five patients. Use of this instrument was limited, however, because its diameter was too large to always permit insertion through the external jugular vein. The newer prototype is both longer and narrower allowing access through either the external jugular or an antecubital (arm) vein. This instrument has been used in two patients. In the first access was gained through the antecubital route when the external jugular was found to be inadequate. This patient could not have undergone angioscopy with the earlier prototype. Both instruments achieve good visualization. The earlier prototype is easier to manipu-late through the right heart, but more difficult to guide through the branching pulmonary arteries; the newer prototype is more difficult to guide through the heart because of the stiffness of its bundle, but easier to manipulate through branching arteries because of the greater flexibility of its distal tip.
The multiple interactional biological processes that might lead to depression and gender differences in its appearance

Abstract Several neurotransmitter systems have been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression. Gender differences have been demonstrated in some functions that involve these systems, mostly norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine and acetylcholine. Several hormonal systems have been shown to be altered in depression and gender differences were demonstrated in their activity as well, notably in thyroid hormones and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system. Most gender differences in brain systems and their hormonal modulators might be attributed to developmental and state influences of gonadal hormones. It is suggested that gender differences in mechanisms that might underlie formation of depressive symptoms might be related m among multiple factors or circuitry neurotransmitters and hormonal systems can be demonstrated as well.
Total Synthesis of 2,4-methanaproline

Abstract The total synthesis of 2,4-methanoproline is achieved utilizing as the key step an intramolecular [2 + 2] photocycloaddition.
Dominance of Mycoplasma in the guts of the Long‐Jawed Mudsucker, Gillichthys mirabilis, from five California salt marshes

Summary We analysed the gut microflora of the Long-Jawed Mudsucker, Gillichthys mirabilis by polymerase chain reaction/denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and cloning and sequencing 16S rRNA gene amplicons. Fish were collected at five sites in northern and southern California, USA. The gut microflora assemblages of all G. mirabilis were similar, very simple and dominated by one or more Mycoplasma ribotypes. Hindguts were dominated by Mycoplasmas that were most similar to a ribotype retrieved from Atlantic salmon guts. A Mycoplasma ribotype that was 95% similar to Mycoplasma mobile was the dominant in the foregut.
Prospects for a high field ITER device

Scoping studies of a high-field ITER device have been performed. Possible advantages of high field operation include: reduced machine size and cost, decreased fusion power and tritium consumption, lower current, and higher density operation (which may increase the design window for the divertor targets). The use of high aspect ratio minimizes the need for increased field at the superconductor by increasing the ratio between the field at the plasma and the peak field at the coil. Higher aspect ratio also results in stresses in the magnet structure that are within present ITER design limits. The current densities in the conductors are consistent with the use of Nb3Sn. The impact of high field on steady-state current drive is evaluated.
Synthesis of broadband 3D AMC ground planes using genetic programming

The development and use of genetic programming (GP) software to synthesize true-3D artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) ground planes is presented, with the focus on achieving a lower frequency response (particularly in the high VHF to low UHF bands), low-profile, broadband designs without the use of absorbing or magnetic materials. Metallic 3D patterns are embedded in one or more substrate layers with a PEC bottom, and the patterning in the unit cell is allowed to extend into neighboring unit cells, thus achieving a lower frequency response with much smaller unit cell size and thickness. Two designs synthesized using the developed GP software are presented with achieved bandwidths of 71.1% and 51.6% when using the ±90° reflection phase criterion.
SCATTERING AND TUNNELING IN ACTIVE SYSTEMS

The scattering properties of one-dimensional potential with gain are studied by using a Schrodinger-like equation. The corresponding Hamiltonian is non-Hermitian with a real energy spectrum. The amplification-absorption duality previously observed is interpreted in terms of the transmission and reflection phases. For a rectangular barrier, the transmission phase oscillates with the barrier width as for passive systems, but the oscillations period is significantly reduced in the absorption region. In this region the reflection phase vanishes and the multiple scattering and interferences dominate. The gain effect is also investigated for double barrier structures as well as superlattices with active potentials. It is found that resonant tunneling energy and the mini-band width are not influenced by the gain, but the transmission is enhanced for small values of the potential imaginary part. For large values, the resonant transmission significantly decreases and the mini-bands disappear.
Pilot Study of Fixed-Infusion Rate Gemcitabine with Cisplatinand Dexamethasone in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Lymphoma

Management of patients with multiple-relapsed lymphoma meets with little success. The optimal use of available drugs in this situation is often unknown. Gemcitabine has documented efficacy in this setting. Pharmacodynamic data suggest that the optimal use may involve a fixed-rate infusion and coadministration with platinum compounds. In this study we explored the use of gemcitabine starting at a dose of 800 mg/m(2) administered at a fixed infusion rate of 10 mg/m(2) per minute with cisplatin 35 mg/m(2) intravenously, both given on day 1, and dexamethasone 20 mg daily for 4 days; the treatment was given every 2 weeks (days 1 and 15 of a 28-day cycle) for the treatment of relapsed Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Dose escalation of gemcitabine was allowed according to phase I criteria. Twenty-two patients with a median of 4 prior treatments were enrolled (Hodgkin's lymphoma, n = 7; B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, n = 9; T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, n = 6). Ten patients had relapsed after prior autologous transplantation. Grade 4 thrombocytopenia and neutropenia were the dose-limiting toxicities and occurred in 9 patients (41%) and 4 patients (18%), respectively. Initial dose escalation of gemcitabine was not possible. Responses were observed in 45% of the patients: 2 of 5 with T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (1 patient withdrew after first treatment and was evaluable only for toxicity), 4 of 7 with Hodgkin's lymphoma, and 4 of 9 with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The coadministration of gemcitabine 800 mg over 80 minutes with low-dose cisplatin and dexamethasone is feasible and sufficiently active in a heavily pretreated patient population with lymphoma.
High-sensor-count Bragg grating instrumentation system for large-scale structural monitoring applications

We describe an instrumentation system which provides the capability to monitor a large number of Bragg gratings using a common source and a scanning narrowband filter. The system described has the capability to monitor 12 FBG sensors along each of 5 fibers for a total of 60 sensor elements. We demonstrate the use of this system to address multiple sensors embedded in and attached to a quarter scale bridge span.
Approximate reasoning for safety and survivability of planetary rovers

Operational safety and health monitoring are critical matters for autonomous planetary, rovers operating on remote and challenging terrain. This paper describes rover safety issues and presents an approximate reasoning approach to maintaining vehicle safety in a navigational context. The proposed rover safety module is composed of two distinct behaviors: safe attitude (pitch and roll) management and safe traction management. Fuzzy logic implementations of these behaviors on outdoor terrain are presented. Sensing of vehicle safety coupled with visual neural network-based perception of terrain quality are used to infer safe speeds during rover traversal. In addition, approximate reasoning for self-regulation of internal operating conditions is briefly discussed. The core theoretical foundations of the applied soft computing techniques are presented and supported by descriptions of field tests and laboratory experimental results. For autonomous rovers, the approach provides intrinsic safety cognizance and a capacity for reactive mitigation of navigation risks.