cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the way to Pluto, spacecraft images Jupiter system

Earlier this year, NASA's Pluto-bound New Horizons spacecraft stopped off at Jupiter to use the planet's gravity to give it a boost on its journey. While there, New Horizons tested its instruments and software by imaging the Jupiter system, and these images have now reached Earth. As the spacecraft approached Jupiter, it focused its seven cameras and sensors on the planet and its four largest moons, taking nearly 700 observations in total. NASA had received about 70% of the 34 gigabits of data as of 1 May.
Comparative Incidence of Nephrotoxicity by Age Group among Adult Patients Receiving Vancomycin

Introduction Little is known regarding age-related risk of nephrotoxicity during vancomycin therapy after the publication of the 2009 vancomycin consensus guidelines for therapeutic drug monitoring. We sought to evaluate incidence and risk factors for acute kidney injury in three age groups.
Adult patients are more catabolic than children during acute phase after burn injury: a retrospective analysis on muscle protein kinetics

Purpose This study was performed to determine if there is an age-related specificity in the response of muscle protein metabolism to severe burn injury during acute hospitalization. This is a retrospective analysis of previously published data.
Proposal for generating Fock states in traveling wave fields

Abstract We describe a proposal for the generation of a single-mode photonic number state, | N 〉 , in a traveling wave optical field. The state is obtained by state reduction from an input coherent state using Kerr media. Our method is based on a previous scheme used for hole burning in the Fock space by minimizing the Mandel Q parameter. The same method was used by Maia et al., but ours is different, it requires only one single photon injected in the entire setup and one photon detection at the end.
Racial disparity in maternal and fetal-cord bisphenol A concentrations.

To determine if racial disparities exist in maternal and fetal cord serum concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA). A nested cross-sectional study was performed from a cohort of 600 term nulliparas. In 27 patients (8 Caucasian, 8 African-American and 11 Hispanic), term pre-labor maternal serum and corresponding fetal-cord serum were analyzed for BPA. African-Americans had the highest maternal serum concentrations, 10-fold higher than Caucasians (30.13 vs 3.14 ng ml−1; P=0.038). Hispanics had intermediate concentrations with a trend towards higher concentrations compared with Caucasians (24.46 vs 3.14 ng ml−1; P=0.051). Overall concentrations were 10-fold higher in maternal samples than fetal samples (14.1 vs 1.3 ng ml−1; P=0.001). Hispanics had higher fetal concentrations than non-Hispanics (2.05 vs 0.35 ng ml−1; P=0.025). We found significant racial/ethnic differences in maternal/fetal BPA concentrations. Further study is needed to determine if these differences reflect disparities in exposure, metabolism or placental transfer.
IMPURITY DETERMINATION IN GROUP III--V COMPOUNDS.

Methods for determination of trace and ultratrace impurities in group III-V compounds by emission spectroscopy have been investigated. Cleaning of organic and inorganic surface contaminants must be carefully carried out so that ultratrace determination is possible. The method takes advantage of preferential volatilization of group III-V compounds in a dc arc. Sequential exposure is used to improve signal-to-noise ratio. Concentrating the impurities in the electrode by arcing off some of the arsenic in gallium arsenide improves detection limits of relatively nonvolatile elements. The analytical results agree well with other techniques. Electrical properties of compounds also correlate well with the data. The coefficients of variation range from 20 to 40%.
Canopy photosynthesis, evapotranspiration, leaf nitrogen, and transcription profiles of maize in response to CO2 enrichment

The effects of CO2 enrichment on the growth and physiology of maize were investigated at the molecular, biochemical, leaf, and canopy levels. Maize plants were grown in sunlit soil‐plant‐atmosphere research (SPAR) chambers at ambient (370lmolmol � 1 ) or elevated (750lmolmol � 1 ) atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration (Ca) under wellwatered and fertilized conditions. Canopy gas exchange rates and leaf temperatures were monitored continuously during the growing season. CO2 enrichment did not enhance the growth or canopy photosynthesis of maize plants. However, canopy evapotranspiration rates decreased by 22% and daytime leaf temperatures were increased about 11C in response to CO2 enrichment. Leaf carboxylation efficiency and leaf nitrogen concentration also decreased at elevated Ca. Transcription profiling using maize cDNA microarrays revealed that approximately 5% of tested genes responded to CO2 enrichment. Of the altered transcripts, several were known to encode proteins involved in stomatal development or photosynthesis. For the majority of the altered transcripts, however, it was difficult to link their functions with specific physiological factors partly because many of these genes encoded unknown proteins. We conclude that maize did not exhibit enhanced growth or photosynthesis in response to CO2 enrichment but a number of molecular and physiological processes including those involved in stomatal relations were affected by growth in elevated Ca.
Novel Energy-Saving Materials for Microwave Heating

Novel foams and plates of Fe2O3−Li2O−SiO2−Al2O3 composition made from a mixture of Fe3O4 and petalite mineral have been discovered to get rapidly heated under microwave irradiation and have relatively high heat energy holding ability compared to the presently used commercial ceramics. The Fe3O4 component transformed to Fe2O3 is responsible for microwave-assisted rapid self-heating of the composites and the relatively low thermal conductivity of these composites leads to their high heat holding ability. These novel ceramics are being commercialized as microwave ware. They also have potential applications in remediation of organic contaminants by facilitating ultrafast decomposition upon microwave irradiation as demonstrated with cooking oil as an example.
Bipartite structure of the downstream element of the mouse beta globin (major) poly(A) signal

The downstream region of the mouse beta (major) globin poly(A) signal was mutated and analyzed for function in transfected COS cells. From analysis of unidirectional Bal31 deletions, the 3' boundary of the downstream element was defined as +22 (22 nucleotides downstream from the cleavage site). Analysis of cluster mutations, in which 5 or 6 adjacent bases were replaced with a random CA-containing sequence in a manner that did not alter spacing, confirmed +22 as the 3' boundary of the downstream element. The analysis also revealed two short UG-rich sequences, located from +5 to +10 and from +17 to +22, as major functional components. In contrast, a more refined series of mutations, in which clusters of 3 bases were replaced, failed to cause loss of function. We conclude that the downstream element of the mouse beta globin poly(A) signal is bipartite in structure, and that portions of its sequence are functionally redundant.
Cap-dependent translation blockade and fixed dose-rate gemcitabine: Interaction in an in vitro bioreactor system

Translation initiation commences with the binding of eIF-4F to the mRNA 5'-end cap. eIF-4F binds the cap structure via its eIF-4E subunit, which is the rate-limiting step for the initiation of translation. This pathway can be inhibited by 4E-binding proteins (4E-BPs). The present study investigated prolonged gemcitabine infusion in combination with reduced eIF-4E function on NSCLC cell viability in an in vitro bioreactor system. To assess attachment to the hollow fibers, cells with dominant active 4E-BP1 were first analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Cells were treated with 0.5- or 2.5h (fixed dose rate) infusion (same total dose), simulating human plasma gemcitabine concentration-time profiles. An interaction was observed between fixed dose rate infusion gemcitabine and presence of dominant active 4E-BP1. We conclude that cap-dependent translation blockade and fixed dose rate infusion gemcitabine treatment results in a significant interaction affecting cell viability in vitro.
Familial breast cancer and its recognition in an oncology clinic

Family history of cancer was evaluated for 79 breast cancer probands from among a series of consecutively ascertained cancer patients undergoing treatment in the authors' Oncology clinic. Cancer prevalence for each family was quantified by using a statistic that accounts for variable size and age structure among families. To test the null hypothesis that cancer risk is independent of family membership, the distribution of this statistic for families in their original configuration was compared with the distributions observed when relatives were randomly assigned to families in 99 random permutations of family membership. The results indicated significant heterogeneity for cancer risk among relatives of breast cancer probands, which suggests that the isolation of high risk families can provide a meaningful resource for in-depth studies in breast cancer genetics. Using an objective criterion for selection of such families, high risk for early onset breast cancer was confirmed in a prospective follow-up study fof four families from the original resource.
The stimulatory effects of bearing primary methylcholanthrene-induced tumors upon the murine lymphoreticular system.

These studies explore mechanisms involved in the apparent immunodeficiency associated with the development of primary tumors. Methylcholanthrene fibrosarcomas were induced in five inbred strains of mice, and the cellular parameters of spleen-cell immunologic function were measured either after the tumors reached a constant size or following a specific period of growth. T-cell numbers, as indicated by the subpopulation susceptible to anti-θ and complement cytotoxicity, and T-cell functions including PHA mitogenicity, primary alloantigen recognition, and T cooperation were decreased proportionately, although they remained unchanged or were increased absolutely. Susceptibility to LPS mitogenicity, an apparent B-cell function, was increased relatively and absolutely. The B-cell function of anti-SRBC production was also increased. Colonyforming units increased in number, but they were insufficient to account for significant proportions of the spleen cell population. It was concluded that the animal bearing a primary MCA tumor is deficient in neither T nor B cells and that the effect of the tumor upon immune function is stimulatory.
The role of ultraviolet radiation and fish in regulating the vertical distribution of Daphnia

Previous studies have demonstrated independent effects of both solar ultraviolet radiation (UV; 280–400 nm) and planktivorous fish on the vertical distribution of Daphnia. We examined the behavioral response of adult and juvenile Daphnia to both UV and planktivorous fish simultaneously in a small temperate lake in eastern Pennsylvania by conducting a large-scale (15 m deep) in situ mesocosm experiment with full factorial treatments (6 UV and 6 fish). UV induced an avoidance of the surface waters in both juvenile and adult Daphnia .I n contrast, the response of Daphnia to fish depended on the presence of UV, with a clear interactive effect. In the presence of both UV and fish, Daphnia were deeper in the water column than they were in the absence of either UV or fish. Sampling of the lake also revealed a rapid upward shift in the depth distribution of both juveniles and adults following a rare and intense early-summer storm that reduced the lake’s transparency to both UV (for example, 380 nm UV-A) and photosynthetically active radiation (400–700 nm) by 44% and 39%, respectively. Evidence of a novel benefit to UV avoidance behavior was also observed: surface avoidance of UV reduces the hazards of Daphnia getting caught in the surface air–water interface and perishing. These results highlight the interactive effects of fish and UV on Daphnia vertical distribution under near-natural conditions in situ.
Readout Electronics for the ATLAS LAr Calorimeter at HL-LHC

Abstract The ATLAS Liquid Argon (LAr) calorimeters are high precision, high sensitivity and high granularity detectors designed to provide precision measurements of electrons, photons, jets and missing transverse energy. ATLAS and its LAr calorimeters have been operating and collecting proton-proton collisions at LHC since 2009. The current front-end electronics of the LAr calorimeters need to be upgraded to sustain the higher radiation levels and data rates expected at the upgraded high luminosity LHC machine (HL-LHC), which will have 5 times more luminosity than the LHC in its ultimate conﬁguration. The complexity of the present electronics and the obsolescence of some of components of which it is made, will not allow a partial replacement of the system. A completely new readout architecture scheme is under study and many components are being developed in various R&D programs of the LAr Calorimeter Group.The new front-end readout electronics will send data continuously at each bunch crossing through high speed radiation resistant optical links. The data will be processed real-time with the possibility of implementing trigger algorithms for clusters and electron/photon identiﬁcation at a higher granularity than that which is currently implemented. The new architecture will eliminate the intrinsic limitation presently existing on Level-1 trigger acceptance. This article is an overview of the R&D activities which covers architectural design aspects of the new electronics as well as some detailed progress on the development of several ASICs needed, and preliminary studies with FPGAs to cover the backend functions including part of the Level-1 trigger requirements. A recently proposed staged upgrade with hybrid Tower Builder Board (TBB) is also described.
Observation of Coherent Transient Birefringence in C S 2 Vapor

We have observed short-duration birefringence in C${\mathrm{S}}_{2}$ vapor 38 and 76 psec after excitation with a mode-locked (\ensuremath{\sim} 5 psec duration) 1.06-\ensuremath{\mu}m glass: ${\mathrm{Nd}}^{3+}$ laser pulse. These bursts are attributed to the time evolution of a coherent sum of rotational superposition states.
A Comparison of the Cytoplasmic Changes Induced in the Walker Rat Carcinoma 256 by Different Types and Dosages of Radiation: II. The Mitochondria

The present study is an attempt to compare the changes, if any, caused by radiation of different types and dosages on the mitochondria of the cells of the transplantable rat tumor Walker 256. A general belief that different types of irradiation do not differ in their biological effect on tissue was confirmed in the case of the Golgi apparatus in Walker carcinoma 256. The work is now extended to include the mitochondria. The presence of mitochondria in tumor cells has frequently been described (1–7). The literature has recently been reviewed by Grynfeltt and Maury (8). Mitochondria can be seen in living cells with the aid either of dark-field illumination or supravital staining with Janus green B. Structurally, Bagozzi (9) was unable to observe any difference between the mitochondria of normal cells and tumor cells, nor was there any quantitative difference detected by Cooper and Seelig (10). Mitochondria vary in shape in different cells, from long filamentous rods capable of fragmentation to small spherical bodies. The sensitivity of mitochondria to radiation is variously described (11–14). Hirsch (15) showed that mitochondria in the pancreas cells of a mouse may become fragmented following roentgen irradiation and suggested that they are especially sensitive to radiation. Likewise Gatenby, Mukerji and Wigoder (16) considered the mitochondria in sperm cells to be more sensitive than the nuclei. Whitman (17), on the other hand, working with rat sarcoma 338, concluded that radium has no effect on mitochondria. Packard (18) has given a good account of the literature in reference to the general biological effects of radiation. Heilbrunn has reviewed the literature in Duggar's (19) Biological Effects of Radiation to show that radiation has a destructive effect on mitochondria.
Clifford matrices and a problem of hurwitz

Finding the least positive integer n for which there exists, for fixed integers r,s > 0, a normed bilinear form is a hundred year old open problem originating with Hurwitz. Its answer is known in several cases, in particular for small values of r(r≤9). In this paper we determine it for large values of s with respect to r. The explicit construction of the required normed bilinear forms involves a very special matrix representation of the real Clifford algebra Cm and the minimality of their ranges is a consequence of the Hopf-Stiefel criterion.
Another Record of the Rare and Endangered Species Phaeophyscia leana

A collection of Phaeophyscia leana is reported from Hart County, Kentucky. Phaeophyscia leana (Tuck.) Essl. is a rare macrolichen that is endemic to the Ohio River Valley of eastern North America (Gillespie & Methven 2002). The species was originally discovered by Thomas G. Lea in the vicinity of Cincinnati, Ohio between 1834 and 1844. An absence of subsequent collections following the original discovery by Lea led Thomson (1963) to conclude that the species had gone extinct following the destruction of the type locality during the urbanization of the city of Cincinnati. It was thus with some jubilation that Skorepa (1984) reported the rediscovery of P. leana. Recently several individuals have conducted extensive field studies of Phaeophyscia leana to determine the status of extant populations and better elucidate the ecological niche the species occupies (Wilhelm & Master 1994, Wilhelm et al. 2000, Gillespie & Methven 2002). These extensive field studies led to the recognition of a total of eleven populations of P. leana restricted to periodically flooded bottomland forests along the Ohio and Wabash Rivers. During the meeting of the 2006 Tuckerman Workshop in southern Ohio I was fortunate to have the opportunity to observe Phaeophyscia leana. It is a very distinctive Phaeophyscia species with long, narrow, strap-like lobes and a pale undersurface. The combination of these characters, coupled with the overall size of the thallus makes it instantly recognizable in the field and herbarium. It was thus with some surprise that while revising specimens collected by Clyde F. Reed in Kentucky prior to their integration into the herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden (NY) I found a specimen of P. leana. The discovery of this collection extends the known distribution of P. leana. Further field studies are needed to determine if the species is still present at the locality, and to what extent other populations may occur along the Green River. The Green River is a tributary to the Ohio River, and all other known populations (extinct and extant) of P. leana are from the Ohio River and its tributaries. Specimen Examined. – U.S.A.
Spintronics: Electric toggling of magnets

Electric-field-induced toggle switching of nanoscale thin-film magnets signifies an important step towards energy-efficient magnetic data storage.
Use of an air–fluid exchange system to promote graft adhesion during Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty

Dislocation of the graft is a well-recognized complication of Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK). We describe a technique to promote adhesion of the graft during DSAEK using an anterior chamber air–fluid infusion and exchange for direct control of the pressure and medium used to tamponade the graft against the host stroma.
Voltage reduction results on a 24-kV circuit

This paper describes findings from a field trial of voltage reduction on a 24-kV circuit in North Carolina. The depth of voltage reduction was limited by commercial customers with off-nominal transformer taps and by customers with transformer and secondary issues. Voltage measurements from advanced metering provide insight on the importance of distribution transformers and secondaries when reducing voltage.
A study of X chromosome regulation during oogenesis in the mouse.

Abstract Mature oocytes of mammals, in contrast to somatic cells, have two active X chromosomes. This situation might arise through either of two possible mechanisms. The germ line might be differentiated from somatic cells prior to X inactivation. Alternatively, an X chromosome in germ cells would be reactivated after prior inactivation. This paper presents data compatible with reactivation of the X in germ cells. X-linked enzymes were compared in oocytes of XX and XO fetal mice. The activity of G6PD is similar in the two classes of cells at early meiotic stages, but an XX XO ratio of 2:1 is approached at later times; this suggests reactivation of the G6PD locus. For HPRT, a 2:1 ratio is observed at all meiotic stages. HPRT shows a large increase in enzyme activity during early meiosis, while G6PD does not. Synthesis of this enzyme at early meiotic stages probably accounts for differences between these data and those obtained for G6PD, and places the time of X reactivation at the entry to meiosis.
A Case Study: How a Retail Jewelry Store Learned to Compete in the E-Commerce Market Place

ABSTRACT The Case Study describes how a retail jewelry store adapted to a new e-commerce market place. Until the mid-1990s, their marketing strategy included (1) a large dramatic sign visible from ...
Magnetic stirrer with no external moving parts.

This note describes a variable speed stirrer which is based upon a rotating magnetic field produced electronically. Digital circuitry is used to generate two stepped functions which approximate sine waves differing in phase by 90°. The signals are amplified to drive sets of perpendicular coils such that a magnet situated between the coils rotates at the chosen speed.
Testosterone and benign prostatic hyperplasia

The use of testosterone to treat the symptoms of late-onset hypogonadal men has increased recently due to patient and physician awareness. However, concerns regarding the effect of testosterone on the prostate, in particular any possible effect on the risk of prostate cancer have prompted further research in this regard. Surprisingly, numerous retrospective or small, randomized trials have pointed to a possible improvement in male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients treated with testosterone. The exact mechanism of this improvement is still debated but may have a close relationship to metabolic syndrome. For the clinician, the results of these studies are promising but do not constitute high levels of evidence. A thorough clinical examination (including history, examination and laboratory testing of testosterone) should be undertaken before considering the diagnosis of late-onset hypogonadism or instigating treatment for it. Warnings still remain on the testosterone supplement product labels regarding the risk of urinary retention and worsening LUTS, and these should be explained to patients.
Properties of the low-temperature Photosystem I primary reaction in the P-700-chlorophyll a-protein

The Photosystem I primary reaction, as measured by electron paramagnetic resonance changes of P-700 and a bound iron-sulfur center, has been studied at 15°K in P-700-chlorophyll a-protein complexes isolated from a blue-green alga. One complex, prepared with sodium dodecyl sulfate shows P-700 photooxidation only at 300°K, whereas a second complex, prepared with Triton X-100, is photochemically active at 15°K as well as at 300°K. Analysis of these two preparations shows that the absence of low-temperature photoactivity in the sodium dodecyl sulfate complex reflects a lack of bound iron-sulfur centers in this preparation and supports the assignment of an iron-sulfur center as the primary electron acceptor of Photosystem I.
Expression of an epidermal keratin protein in liver of transgenic mice causes structural and functional abnormalities.

To examine the role of keratin intermediate filament proteins in cell structure and function, transgenic mice were isolated that express a modified form of the human K14 keratin protein in liver hepatocytes. A modified K14 cDNA (K14.P) sequence was linked downstream of the mouse transthyretin (TTR) gene promoter and enhancer elements to achieve targeted expression in hepatocytes. Hepatocytes expressing high levels of the transgene were found to have abnormal keratin filament networks as detected by indirect immunofluorescence using an antibody specific for the transgene product. Light and electron microscopic level histological analysis of isolated liver tissue showed in many cases degenerative changes that included inflammatory infiltration, ballooning degeneration, an increase in fat containing vacuoles, and glycogen accumulation. These changes were most evident in older mice over four months of age. No indication of typical Mallory body structures were identified at either the light or electron microscopic level. To evaluate secretory function in transgenic livers, bile acid secretion rates were measured in isolated perfused liver and found to be approximately twofold lower than aged-matched controls. These findings indicate that expression of an abnormal keratin in liver epithelial cells in the in vivo setting can alter the structure and function of a tissue and suggest a role of the keratin network in cellular secretion.
Low temperature homoepitaxial growth of GaAs by dissociating trimethylgallium and trimethylarsenic in a remote hydrogen plasma

Abstract A downstream near afterglow plasma was used to deposit epitaxial GaAs at substrate temperatures as low as 300 °C. Feedstock organometallics of trimethylgallium and trimethylarsenic were employed at a ratio of 1:2, respectively. The observed growth rate varies with the substrate temperature, but no growth occurs without the plasma. Scanning electron microscopy electron backscattering was used to probe the single crystal quality of the deposited layers.
Laser treatment of warts and other epidermal and dermal lesions.

The carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) laser has been the "workhorse" laser for dermatologists for the last quarter century. 122 The basic CO 2 laser is relatively inexpensive and there have been several dozen potential uses for it described in the literature. With the recent development of short-pulse, high peak power, or rapidly scanned CO 2 lasers for skin resurfacing with minimal thermal damage, there has been a resurgence of interest in the CO 2 laser. 3,5,35,55,110
Processing And Electrical Properties Of High-Tc Superconductors

This paper presents an overview of ceramic fabrication techniques and electrical properties of high-Tc superconductors. Fabrication of bulk ceramic and composite, high-Tc superconducting wires and tapes is discussed. Direct-current critical current density data and surface resis-tance data at rf and microwave frequencies are presented for the YBa2Cu307-x and Ba2Sr2CaCu208+y phases.© (1988) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Affine-invariant moments and B-splines for object recognition from image curves

In this paper we deal with the problem of matching and recognizing planar curves which are modeled as B-splines, independently of possible transformations that the original curve has been subjected to. Curve matching is achieved by using a finite set of B-spline moments which are compared to a set of B-spline prototype moments. When the observed curve is an unknown affine transformation (having four parameters) of one of the prototype curves, the affine parameters are estimated by relating the weighted moments of the original curve to that of the affine transformed curve. A set of up to a second order weighted B-spline moments are used toward that end, and results in a set of two single variable quadratic equations and two linear equations involving the four parameters of the linear transformation for which a closed form analytic expression exists. In the general linear case, the weight used is the affine length which weighs the moment integral by a kernel that results in having the affine parameters factoring out of the weighted moment integral. Once the transformation parameters are obtained, we undo the transformation, and use the set of third or fourth order B-spline moments for classification. The method is illustrated on classifying affine transformed silhouette of aircrafts.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A comparative study of turbulence decay using Navier-Stokes and a discrete particle simulation

A comparative study of the two dimensional temporal decay of an initial turbulent state of flow is presented using a direct Navier-Stokes simulation and a particle method, ranging from the near continuum to more rarefied regimes. Various topics related to matching the initial conditions between the two simulations are considered. The determination of the initial velocity distribution function in the particle method was found to play an important role in the comparison. This distribution was first developed by matching the initial Navier-Stokes state of stress, but was found to be inadequate beyond the near continuum regime. An alternative approach of using the Lees two-sided Maxwellian to match the initial strain-rate is discussed. Results of the comparison of the temporal decay of mean kinetic energy are presented for a range of Knudsen numbers. As expected, good agreement was observed for the near continuum regime, but the differences found for the more rarefied conditions were unexpectedly small.
The malfunctioning infusion port: can the chest radiograph predict need for revision?

Purpose Malfunction of chest infusion ports leads to unnecessary peripheral IV placement and delays in infusion. When this occurs in our institution, the patient is sent for a contrast injection study. The port is injected looking for evidence of a fibrin sheath. Since tip location is the most important factor contributing to fibrin sheath formation, this expensive and potentially harmful study could be avoided if there was a way to predict the likelihood of intervention based on the tip location on chest radiograph. Materials and Methods A retrospective single-center review was performed after approval by our IRB. The chest radiographs of 60 consecutive patients who underwent 62 individual port studies within a two year period (2010-2012) were reviewed and the tip location of the port catheter was recorded. Tip locations were divided anatomically into ten zones, with appropriate position residing in zones 4 and 5 (lower 1/3 superior vena cava (SVC) and right atrium (RA)). If a tip was in a location other than 4 and 5 it was deemed “inappropriate.” The medical records of the patients were then reviewed and the findings of the port study and the outcome of the port was recorded. Results Sixty patients, (21 male and 39 female, age range 18-82) underwent 62 individual port studies preceded by frontal chest radiography. Of 62 port studies, 42 (68%) were found to be within appropriate tip zone (lower SVC or RA), and 20 (32%) were found to be malpositioned. Twelve (29%) of the appropriately positioned ports required intervention, whereas nine (45%) of the malpositioned ports were intervened upon. (p = 0.00056). Conclusion A significantly greater proportion of catheters who have a tip location outside the lower SVC and RA need to be revised or removed as opposed to ports with their catheter tip in this location. We suggest that the clinical workup of a patient with a malfunctioning infusion port start with a standard chest radiograph. If the port tip is outside of the lower SVC or RA, then a port study is unnecessary and the patient should be referred for removal or revision. The application of this screening method for infusion port studies can help reduce cost and radiation exposure to the patient.
Peripheral BDNF Produces Antidepressant-Like Effects in Cellular and Behavioral Models

Recent clinical studies demonstrate that serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are significantly decreased in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and that antidepressant treatments reverse this effect, indicating that serum BDNF is a biomarker of MDD. These findings raise the possibility that serum BDNF may also have effects on neuronal activity and behavior, but the functional significance of altered serum BDNF is unknown. To address this issue, we determined the influence of peripheral BDNF administration on depression- and anxiety-like behavior, including the forced swim test (FST), chronic unpredictable stress (CUS)/anhedonia, novelty-induced hypophagia (NIH) test, and elevated-plus maze (EPM). Furthermore, we examined adult hippocampal neurogenesis as well as hippocampal and striatal expression of BDNF, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), in order to determine whether peripherally administered BDNF produces antidepressant-like cellular responses in the brain. Peripheral BDNF administration increased mobility in the FST, attenuated the effects of CUS on sucrose consumption, decreased latency in the NIH test, and increased time spent in the open arms of an EPM. Moreover, adult hippocampal neurogenesis was increased after chronic, peripheral BDNF administration. We also found that BDNF levels as well as expression of pCREB and pERK were elevated in the hippocampus of adult mice receiving peripheral BDNF. Taken together, these results indicate that peripheral/serum BDNF may not only represent a biomarker of MDD, but also have functional consequences on molecular signaling substrates, neurogenesis, and behavior.
Torsional, Rotor, and Electronic Effects in 4-tert-Butylmethylenecyclohexane Epoxidations and Osmylations

The axial epoxidation preference for 2-substituted 4-tert-butylmethylenecyclohexanes is attributed to a combination of small effects, including existing bond torsion and rotor effects. Contributions from developing bond torsion are smaller and may be negligible. Cieplak (σ−σ*) effects are too small to identify in most of the epoxidations, but a marginal effect could be present according to comparisons of isosteric systems 11a and 15a or 19a and 19b. Dimethyldioxirane epoxidations and osmylations are more sensitive to steric factors, resulting in a trend for equatorial attack.
Inferring Complex AS Relationships

The traditional approach of modeling relationships between ASes abstracts relationship types into three broad categories: transit, peering, and sibling. More complicated configurations exist, and understanding them may advance our knowledge of Internet economics and improve models of routing. We use BGP, traceroute, and geolocation data to extend CAIDA's AS relationship inference algorithm to infer two types of complex relationships: hybrid relationships, where two ASes have different relationships at different interconnection points, and partial transit relationships, which restrict the scope of a customer relationship to the provider's peers and customers. Using this new algorithm, we find 4.5% of the 90,272 provider-customer relationships observed in March 2014 were complex, including 1,071 hybrid relationships and 2,955 partial-transit relationships. Because most peering relationships are invisible, we believe these numbers are lower bounds. We used feedback from operators, and relationships encoded in BGP communities and RPSL, to validate 20% and 6.9% of our partial transit and hybrid inferences, respectively, and found our inferences have 92.9% and 97.0% positive predictive values. Hybrid relationships are not only established betweenlarge transit providers; in 57% of the inferred hybrid transit/peering relationships the customer had a customer cone of fewer than 5 ASes.
The New Natural Resource Economy: Environment and Economy in Transitional Rural Communities

Recent developments in resource management suggest an important opportunity to address the declining socioeconomic health of rural communities struggling to fill the gap left by the transformation of primary production in agriculture and natural resources. Commodity production creates direct links between producers and urban centers, bypassing rural communities and making them economically redundant. A range of activities have emerged in the last 20 years—watershed restoration, community forestry, sustainable agriculture, and ecosystem services, for example—that constitute a “new natural resource economy” (NNRE) that can help diversify rural economies while also enhancing environmental, social, and cultural assets. Constituent components of NNRE have been studied, but there has been no attempt to map the whole territory. In this article we report the findings from a scoping survey and three case studies, as a first cut at describing the NNRE economic sector and identifying barriers to its development.
Creative productivity and age: A mathematical model based on a two-step cognitive process

Abstract It is argued that several empirical aspects of the relation between age and productivity can be explained by hypothesizing a simple two-step model of the creative process. Such a hypothesis permits a delayed single-peak function to result from an underlying process of constantly decelerating decay. The derived equation describes creative productivity as a function of individual age. The equation is not only shown to be consistent with empirical data on the relation between age and achievement, but additionally several important empirical predictions and theoretical consequences are inferred from the model. For instance, the model (a) maintains that the age curves may be largely the intrinsic outcome of cognitive processes rather than the extrinsic effect of developmental changes or sociological influences; (b) predicts the explanatory superiority of professional over chronological age; (c) explains the observed positive intercorrelation among creative precociousness, productivity, and longevity in terms of their mutual dependence upon individual differences in creative potential; and (d) provides a substantive basis for interpreting the variation in age peaks across disciplines by introducing the concepts of ideation rate, elaboration rate, and creative half-life. Tests to confirm or disconfirm the theoretical model are also proposed.
On the mechanism of enzyme action. XLIV. Codetermination of resazurin and resorufin in enzymatic dehydrogenation experiments.

Abstract A method has been evolved for the quantitative codetermination of resazurin and resorufin. Examples of its use with erythrocytes and with succinic dehydrogenase of rat liver are presented.
The impact of pre-transplant valganciclovir on early cytomegalovirus reactivation after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Cytomegalovirus reactivation is a common complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. The use of pre-transplant valganciclovir during the conditioning regimen followed by preemptive therapy has been used in an attempt to reduce the rate of early cytomegalovirus reactivation, but efficacy data are lacking. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the impact of pre-transplant valganciclovir during the conditioning regimen followed by a preemptive approach on the rate of early cytomegalovirus reactivation through day 100. The rate of cytomegalovirus reactivation through day 100 was 41% in the no-valganciclovir group compared to 46% in the valganciclovir group (p = 0.4). Interestingly, median time to cytomegalovirus reactivation was earlier in the no-valganciclovir group compared to the valganciclovir group (26 vs. 34 days; p = 0.008) and there was a trend toward a higher rate of cytomegalovirus disease through day 100 in the no-valganciclovir group (0.7% valganciclovir vs. 4% no-valgancicl...
Fragmentation and complementarity: The case of EFPs

With the proliferation of alternative markets, concerns have arisen that they may induce lower liquidity on centralized exchanges. In futures markets, the use of an alternative trading mechanism known as exchange of futures for physicals (EFPs) has increased sharply in recent years. EFPs provide a means to obtain futures positions, coupled with offsetting cash positions, away from the centralized exchange. Traders use EFPs to ensure a desired price on complex packages of trades, thus avoiding the transactional risk (slippage) that is inherent in the centralized market. Theoretical analysis establishes that any detrimental effects of fragmenting the centralized market can be offset by traders' knowledge of another opportunity to trade without transactional risk. If EFPs attract more risk-bearing capacity, there could even be a net benefit to the central market. An empirical analysis suggests that EFP trading is motivated by transactional risk because it represents a larger portion of total trading during periods of unusually high volatility when slippage is apt to be more of a problem. Consistent with the notion that alternative markets can be complementary to centralized exchanges, we find that EFP trading is not associated with reductions in market quality and may act as an outlet for extra volume when markets are under the most stress. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 22:697–727, 2002
Spectrophotometric determination of nitrate using chromotropic acid

Abstract A spectrophotometric method is described for the determination of nitrate in the 0.5 to 50μg range using chromotropic acid as the reagent and masking agents for the elimination of possible critical interferences due to chloride, chlorine, iron(III) and oxidants. The method can be applied directly for the determination of 0.2–20 mg of nitrate/l in 2.5-ml samples of water. Over 4000 mg of chloride/l can be tolerated. The method is simple, rapid and reliable. At the 1 mg/l level for nitrate the coefficient of variation at the 95% confidence limit is 4% There are no interferences.
Considerations in breast augmentation in the adolescent patient.

Nearly 320,000 breast augmentations were performed in 2011, with adolescents under 18 years of age accounting for 4,830 procedures (1.5%). Breast development typically starts at 11 years (range, 8–13 years) and is complete at 15 years (range, 11–18 years). This wide age range for physical maturity matches the equally wide range of emotional maturity in this patient population. Developmental, psychological, and regulatory aspects unique to adolescent breast augmentation are reviewed. Self-image and societal influences must be considered, including both internal and external motivations for seeking breast augmentation. Preoperative assessment and counseling of these patients are discussed. Both parental consent and adolescent assent must be considered. Ideal conditions for adolescent assent are described. Breast augmentation for purely aesthetic purposes should be undertaken with extreme caution as ideal conditions for complete assent are rare. Augmentation as a technique for breast balancing in cases of significant asymmetry can be helpful.
Starnes Procedure in a Neonate With Pulmonary Atresia and Intact Ventricular Septum

We describe the case of 7-day-old neonate with pulmonary atresia, intact ventricular septum, and severe tricuspid valve (TV) dysplasia who underwent a Starnes right ventricular exclusion procedure (RVEP). The patient had severe tricuspid stenosis and regurgitation and right ventricular dysfunction after perforation and balloon dilation of the pulmonary valve.
Pricing in next generation networks: a queuing model to guarantee QoS

We consider the scenario where users access Next Generation Networks via Network Access Providers (NAP). We assume that users belong to N different classes and the bandwidth received by each class is determined by a User-Share Differentiation (USD) scheme. According to USD, each class is guaranteed a minimum bandwidth and all users accepted into the NAP are allocated the minimum bandwidth corresponding to their class and any remaining bandwidth is shared according to the ratio of the minimum bandwidths of each class. We develop a queuing-based model and solve an optimization problem to determine the minimum bandwidth (defined in USD) for each of the N classes that maximizes the revenue of the NAP, subject to satisfying a request blocking performance guarantee.
A direct model reference approach for implementation of neurocontrollers

For a special class of single-input single-output (SISO) nonlinear systems, a direct method is presented to learn the control law-by a multilayer network-such that the overall behavior of the closed-loop system will be the same as that of a reference model. The method is inspired by a direct adaptive control scheme for direct adjustment of the weights of a multilayer network implementing the controller using backpropagation. To guarantee correct learning of the control law, the states of the model must be kept close to those of the nonlinear plant. This requires the addition of the resetting scheme to the overall architecture. The linear model states are reset to the states of the nonlinear plant at the end of a resetting time-window of length m and the error measured at the end of the resetting window is used for weight adjustment. The length of the time-window is kept small relative to the dominant dynamics of the plant. >
Enhanced diversity and aflatoxigenicity in interspecific hybrids of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus

Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus are the two most important aflatoxin-producing fungi responsible for the contamination of agricultural commodities worldwide. Both species are heterothallic and undergo sexual reproduction in laboratory crosses. Here we examine the possibility of interspecific matings between A. flavus and A. parasiticus. These species can be distinguished morphologically and genetically, as well as by their mycotoxin profiles. Aspergillus flavus produces both B aflatoxins and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), B aflatoxins or CPA alone, or neither mycotoxin; Aspergillus parasiticus produces B and G aflatoxins or the aflatoxin precursor O-methylsterigmatocystin, but not CPA. Only four of forty-five attempted interspecific crosses between opposite mating types of A. flavus and A. parasiticus were fertile and produced viable ascospores. Single ascospore strains from each cross were shown to be recombinant hybrids using multilocus genotyping and array comparative genome hybridization. Conidia of parents and their hybrid progeny were haploid and predominantly monokaryons and dikaryons based on flow cytometry. Multilocus phylogenetic inference showed that experimental hybrid progeny were grouped with naturally occurring A. flavus L strain and A. parasiticus. Higher total aflatoxin concentrations in some F1 progeny strains compared to midpoint parent aflatoxin levels indicate synergism in aflatoxin production; moreover, three progeny strains synthesized G aflatoxins that were not produced by the parents, and there was evidence of allopolyploidization in one strain. These results suggest that hybridization is an important diversifying force resulting in the genesis of novel toxin profiles in these agriculturally important fungi.
Radiochemical separations by liquid--liquid chromatography using PSM support

Radiochemical separations of metal lons by liquid-liquid chromatography were carried out on 2-cm long minicolumns packed with 4 to 6 ..mu..m porous silica microspheres containing 25 to 30 weight percent of 1.5 F di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid in dodecane. Column performance was evaluated using the elution of both tracer and macro quantities of Eu(III). Plate heights for tracer scale elutions were 0.015 to 0.025 mm and 0.05 to 0.07 mm at v = 2 and 30 cm/min, respectively. The separation of certain dipositive metal ions, tripositive lanthanide lons, and tripositive transplutonium lons were studied using the high efficiency minicolumns.