cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The case against primary endoscopic realignment of pelvic fracture urethral injuries

Abstract Objectives To review previous reports and present our experience on the outcomes after treating pelvic fracture urethral injuries (PFUIs) with primary endoscopic realignment (PER) vs. placing a suprapubic tube (SPT) with elective bulbomembranous anastomotic urethroplasty (BMAU). Methods We reviewed previous reports and identified articles that reported outcomes after PER vs. SPT and elective BMAU for patients who sustained PFUIs. We also present our institutional experience of treating patients who were referred after undergoing either form of treatment. Results The success rates for PER after PFUI are wide-ranging (11–86%), with variable definitions for a successful outcome. At our institution, for patients treated by SPT/BMAU, the mean time to a definitive resolution of stenosis was dramatically shorter (6 months, range 3–15) than for those treated with PER (122 months, range 4–574; P P P Conclusion While PER occasionally results in urethral patency with no need for further intervention, the risk of delay in definitive treatment and the potential for adverse events have led to a preference for SPT and elective BMAU at our institution.
Effect of Nitrogen Content on Interfacial Adhesion of the Ta/SiO2 Interface

With the advent of copper metallization in interconnect structures, new barrier layers are required to prevent copper diffusion into the adjacent dielectrics as well as the underlying silicon. These barriers must not only prevent interdiffusion but also provide adequate adhesion to both the dielectric and copper. Ta and TaN have received considerable attention as barrier layers in copper metallization schemes. While much has been reported on their diffusion properties, little or no quantitative data exists on their adhesive properties. We present data on both the interface fracture energy and the subcritical debonding of ionmetal- plasma sputtered Ta and TaN films on thermal silicon oxide. Data is also presented showing the significant effect of interfacial chemistry, particularly varying nitrogen contents at the TaN/SiO2 interface.
The statistics for the detection of light by nonideal photomultipliers

The detection of low-level optical frequency radiation, such as that encountered in laser communication systems, is often accomplished with a photomultiplier tube. The photomultiplication process, however, is itself a random process. In this paper a formula for the statistics of the number of electrons after k stages is derived in the form of a recurrence relation. A Polya distribution is assumed as a model for each stage, and the probability of error for a laser communication system is examined in terms of the Polya b -parameter and the gain per stage. A simple closed-form expression for the decibel loss as a function of the photomultiplier parameters is also derived.
De novo pathogenic SCN8A mutation identified by whole-genome sequencing of a family quartet affected by infantile epileptic encephalopathy and SUDEP

Individuals with severe, sporadic disorders of infantile onset represent an important class of disease for which discovery of the underlying genetic architecture is not amenable to traditional genetic analysis. Full-genome sequencing of affected individuals and their parents provides a powerful alternative strategy for gene discovery. We performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) on a family quartet containing an affected proband and her unaffected parents and sibling. The 15-year-old female proband had a severe epileptic encephalopathy consisting of early-onset seizures, features of autism, intellectual disability, ataxia, and sudden unexplained death in epilepsy. We discovered a de novo heterozygous missense mutation (c.5302A>G [p.Asn1768Asp]) in the voltage-gated sodium-channel gene SCN8A in the proband. This mutation alters an evolutionarily conserved residue in Nav1.6, one of the most abundant sodium channels in the brain. Analysis of the biophysical properties of the mutant channel demonstrated a dramatic increase in persistent sodium current, incomplete channel inactivation, and a depolarizing shift in the voltage dependence of steady-state fast inactivation. Current-clamp analysis in hippocampal neurons transfected with p.Asn1768Asp channels revealed increased spontaneous firing, paroxysmal-depolarizing-shift-like complexes, and an increased firing frequency, consistent with a dominant gain-of-function phenotype in the heterozygous proband. This work identifies SCN8A as the fifth sodium-channel gene to be mutated in epilepsy and demonstrates the value of WGS for the identification of pathogenic mutations causing severe, sporadic neurological disorders.
Nicotine Anonymous: Community resource and research implications.

There are now over 450 active Nicotine Anonymous meetings (groups) in the United States. The origins and current status of Nicotine Anonymous are described, and some comparisons are drawn with Alcoholics Anonymous. Several research issues are identified including determination of what kinds of smokers are attracted to, stick with, and benefit from Nicotine Anonymous; describing patterns of utilization; and the degree to which Nicotine Anonymous meetings follow 12-step principles and procedures. From a service perspective, Nicotine Anonymous may serve as a useful referral resource for smokers with alcohol- or substance-abuse comorbidities, especially those who have participated in 12-step programs.
Movement of invasive aquatic plants into Minnesota (USA) through horticultural trade

The extent to which invasive aquatic plants move via accidental inclusion in aquatic plant orders or sale of prohibited species is unknown. Forty orders were placed to 34 aquatic plant vendors across the US between May and September 2001 to determine the prevalence of movement into Minnesota via horticultural trade. Federal noxious weeds or Minnesota prohibited exotic species were acquired 92% of the time they were ordered and included Alternanthera sessilis, Butomus umbellata, Hydrocharis morsus-ranae, Potamogeton crispus, and Lythrum salicaria. Ninety three percent of orders received from aquatic plant vendors contained a plant or animal species not specifically requested; 10% of these purchases contained federal noxious weeds or Minnesota exotic species. Lemna minor was the most common incidental receipt found per taxa and per purchase, although Hydrilla verticillata, Lythrum salicaria, Salvinia molesta, and Potamogeton crispus (all prohibited taxa) were also found. Misidentified plants were found in 18% of the orders; unordered seeds in 43%. The sale and transport of prohibited aquatic plants likely presents the greatest risk associated with the aquatic plant trade. Other important factors include misidentification leading to the unintentional sale of invasive plants and the incidental inclusion of species during translocation.
Katalytische Untersuchungen an Legierungen. XXV. Die Parawasserstoff‐Umwandlung an Silber–Palladium‐Legierungen

Die katalytische Umwandlung des Parawasserstoffs wird an kompakten Silber-Palladium-Legierungen untersucht. Der Aktivitatsverlauf zeigt ein Maximum bei 70 bis 80 At.-% Pd. Die Legierungen zwischen 30 und 60 At.-% Pd besitzen – im Vergleich zu den silberreichen Proben – ebenfalls noch eine hohe Aktivitat. Legierungen um 70 At.-% Pd sind in bezug auf die Aktivierungsenergie unwirksamer als das reine Palladium. Ebenso erfolgt ein Anstieg der Aktivierungsenergie im Bereich der vollstandigen Auffullung der Lucken des 4d-Bandes von Palladium durch die s-Elektronen des Silbers. Weiterhin werden Untersuchungen zur Hydrierungsaktivitat pulverformiger Ag-Pd-Mischkatalysatoren (Benzolhydrierung in der Gasphase) mitgeteilt. Das katalytische Gesamtverhalten wird im Zusammenhang mit der verschieden grosen Loslichkeit von Wasserstoff in den einzelnen Legierungen und der elektronischen Wechselwirkung zwischen Wasserstoff und Katalysator diskutiert.
Handling large-scale node failures in mobile sensor/robot networks

In Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), maintaining connectivity with the sink node is a crucial issue to collect data from sensors without any interruption. While sensors are typically deployed in abundance to tolerate possible node failures, a large number of simultaneous node failures within the same region may result in partitioning the network which may disrupt the network operation significantly. Given that WSNs are deployed in inhospitable environments, such node failures are very likely due to storms, fires, floods, etc. The self-recovery of the network from these large-scale node failures is challenging since the nodes will not have any information about the location and span of the damage. In this paper, we first present a distributed partition detection algorithm which quickly makes the sensors aware of the partitioning in the network. This process is led by the sensors whose upstream nodes fail due to damages. Upon partition detection, sensors federate the partitions and restore data communication by utilizing the former routing information stored at each sensor to the sink node and exploiting sensor mobility. Specifically, the locations of failed sensors on former routes are used to assess the span of the damage and some of the sensors are relocated to such locations to re-establish the routes with the sink node. Relocation on such former routes is performed in such a way that the movement overhead on sensors is also minimized. Our proposed approach solely depends on the local information to ensure autonomicity, timeliness and scalability. The effectiveness of the proposed federation approach is validated through realistic simulation experiments and has been shown to provide the mentioned features.
Quantitative immunoblotting assay of blood coagulation factor XII

The immunoblotting technique was applied to the study of Factor XII (F.XII) in plasma. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of whole plasma followed by electroblotting of the electropherograms to nitrocellulose (NC) membranes and immunologic detection by a double antibody technique was used. 125I-F.XII was transferred to the NC membrane in amounts proportional to the amount applied to the gel provided that a constant amount of carrier protein was present. Based on this, a quantitative assay was developed using either normal plasma or F.XII dilutions in F.XII-deficient plasma as standards. The measurement of F.XII antigen by immunoblotting was reproducible and gave values similar to those obtained by radial immunodiffusion. Two normal plasma pools contained 26 and 29 micrograms/ml of F.XII according to the immunoblotting assay. Compared to other immunoassays, immunoblotting has the advantage of directly estimating the apparent molecular weight (MW) of the protein of interest. Thus, we could confirm the normal apparent MW (80,000) of a F.XII-like molecule previously isolated from a cross reacting material (CRM)-positive F.XII-deficient plasma. None of eight CRM-negative F.XII-deficient plasmas showed an 80,000 MW immunoreactive molecule. However, five of these eight plasmas had a faint autoradiographic band at 115,000 MW that was similarly seen in only three out of 43 individual normal plasmas. The nature of this 115,000 MW band remains to be defined.
Triggers and barriers to customizing software

One of the properties of a user interface is that it both guides and constrains the patterns of interaction between the user and the software application. Application software is increasingly designed to be “customizable” by the end user, providing specific mechanisms by which users may specify individual preferences about the software and how they will interact with it over multiple sessions. Users may thus encode and preserve their preferred patterns of use. These customizations, together with choices about which applications to use, make up the unique “softswue environment” for each individual. While it is theoretically possible for each user to carefully evaluate and optimize each possible customization option, this study suggests that most people do not. In facfi since time spent customizing is time spent not working, many people do not take advantage of the customization features at all. I studied the customization behaviorof51 users of a Unix software environment, over a period of four months. This paper describes the process by which users decide to customize and examines the factors that irdluence when and how users make those decisions. These findings have implications for both the design of software and the integration of new software into an organization.
Anterior chamber intraocular lens (ACIOL) placement after pars plana lensectomy in pediatric Marfan syndrome.

Introduction: The management of subluxed crystalline lenses in patients with Marfan syndrome is challenging and may require lensectomy. Options for postoperative optical correction include aphakic spectacles, aphakic contact lens, posterior chamber IOLs sutured to the ciliary sulcus, and open-loop flexible anterior chamber IOLs (ACIOL). We recently began placing ACIOLs in all patients with Marfan Syndrome who were younger than 18 years of age and required lensectomy. Methods: We used a retrospective chart review design for this study. Results: Eight eyes of 5 patients were treated with pars plana vitrectomy, pars plana lensectomy, and primary ACIOL placement. Follow-up ranged from 9 to 16 months, with a mean of 12.7 months. Ages ranged from 5 to 17 years with a mean of 9 years. Three eyes were functionally aphakic at the time of surgery. Of the 5 eyes with a portion of the lens remaining in the visual axis, none maintained accommodative function by near visual acuity testing. Best-corrected distance visual acuity preoperatively ranged from 20/50 to 20/400, with an average of 20/80 (0.65 logMAR). Postoperative acuity ranged from 20/20 to 20/50, with an average acuity of 20/32 (0.20 logMAR). One patient had an iatrogenic sector iridectomy. No patients experienced corneal decompensation, increased intraocular pressure, persistent inflammation, IOL displacement, or explantation during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Although long-term follow-up data are unavailable, our cases of primary ACIOL placement in children with Marfan syndrome indicate that this therapy should be considered.
High spin states

Abstract Nuclei generate high spins by two methods, alignment of single particle angular momentum and collective rotation. The competition of these two modes is discussed first in general terms, then in the spin region below ~40 kh, and finally for the highest spins 40 ≲ I ≲ 65 . Some prognosis for future experiments in this field is given.
On the utilization of L-glutamine by glutamate dehydrogenase.

Abstract The action of glutamate dehydrogenase on L-glutamine was followed by determining the formation of α-ketoglutaramate. The rate of the reaction with L-glutamine was about 0.01% of that observed with L-glutamate. The findings suggest that α-ketoglutaramate present in tissues arises mainly by transamination rather than by oxidation of glutamine. tamine. Glutamate dehydrogenase does not catalyze glutamate formation from α-ketoglutarate and L-glutamine at a significant rate, but the present findings do not exclude the possibility that glutamine amide nitrogen is used for synthesis of α-amino groups in the mammal by pathways involving coupling between glutamate dehydrogenase and glutaminase (or Ω-amidase ) or a glutamine-binding subunit, i.e., by reactions equivalent to that catalyzed by glutamate synthase.
An experimentally validated immersed boundary model of fluid-biofilm interaction.

Biofllms are colonies of microorganisms that live on wetted surfaces in a matrix consisting of polysaccharides, proteins, and nucleic acids. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), biofilms play a role in over 80 percent of microbial infections in the body and these infections are remarkably difficult to treat with antimicrobial compounds. The objective here is to understand and predict the physical interaction between a biofilm and the surrounding fluid flow. We have developed a biofilm–fluid interaction model, based on the lmmersed Boundary Method, to simulate the interaction between the biofilm and a moving fluid. The model predictions of biofilm deformation quantitatively agree with experimental measurements for a range of biofilms using a simple immersed elastic solid to model the biofilm matrix. An immersed viscoelastic solid model is also developed and compared with experimental measurements. The results show that the viscoelastic behaviour inherent in the immersed boundary method (even when using a simple immersed elastic solid) is sufficient for some biofilms, but a slightly viscoelastic solid gives more general agreement with experimental measurements.
RNA metabolism in the rat brain during learning following intravenous and intraventricular injections of 3H-cytidine

Abstract Bowman and Strobel [5] reported increased incorporation of tritiated cytidine into hippocampal RNA of rats learning 60 min of repeated spatial reversals for water reinforcement in an automated Y-maze. The present studies replicated this effect 3 times using intravenous (IV) injections of tritiated cytidine, but failed to observe such an effect in 3 other replications using intracranial (IC) injections of tritiated cytidine. Various control conditions appear to rule out injection trauma as a reason for the lauter failure. The observation of equal precursor distribution across brain regions following IV injections and of unequal distribution following IC injections, coupled with the autoradiographic observations of Altman and Chorover [1] of steep hypothalamic distribution gradients of IC injected nucleoside in the cat, indicate that regional metabolic measurements following IC injections of precursors do not equally assess the contributions of all brain cells and can lead to serious quantitative errors. This point needs reemphasis in view of the widespread use of IC injections in psychoneurochemical research. Concerning the possibility of stress or corticosterone effect on the observed hippocampal RNA effect, there were no differences found in plasma corticosterone concentrations between the learning and control rats at sacrifice.
Cells Were a More Important Foaming Factor than Free Rhamnolipids in Fermentation of Pseudomonasaeruginosa E03-40 for High Rhamnolipid Production

Rhamnolipids are among the best-known biosurfactants. Severe foaming occurs in aerobic rhamnolipid fermentation and negatively affects operation and economics of the biosurfactant production. In this study the foaming properties were examined with samples taken along a Pseudomonas aeruginosa fermentation that produced 55 g l−1 rhamnolipids with a maximum volumetric productivity of 0.080 g l−1 h−1 and a maximum specific productivity of 0.013 g g−1 h−1. For a better understanding of the process, the broth samples were also centrifuged to prepare cell-free supernatants and cell suspensions in water, and all samples were evaluated under fixed foaming conditions. In addition to the time profiles of foam rise, the initial foaming rates and maximum foam volumes were determined. Contrary to the general assumption, the cells, not rhamnolipids, were the main foaming agents in the fermentation. Soluble components including rhamnolipids had secondary roles. Supernatant foaming was higher after the culture entered the rhamnolipid-producing stationary phase; however, the foaming appeared to decrease with increasing rhamnolipid concentrations at high concentrations (>15 g l−1). The pH effects on foaming of broths, supernatants, and cell suspensions were also studied. Broth foaming was 55 and 80 % less at pH 5.5 and 5.0, respectively, compared to that at pH 6.5. Cell growth and rhamnolipid production at lower pH should be included in future studies. In addition, strain selection or genetic engineering and medium modification to reduce cell hydrophobicity are suggested as useful strategies to address the foaming issue of rhamnolipid fermentation.
Rodent Models of HAND and Drug Abuse: Exogenous Administration of Viral Protein(s) and Cocaine

Humans and chimpanzees are the natural hosts for HIV. Non-human primate models of SIV/SHIV infection in rhesus, cynomologus and pigtail macaques have been used extensively as excellent model systems for pathogenesis and vaccine studies. However, owing to the variability of disease progression in infected macaques, a phenomenon identical to humans, coupled with their prohibitive costs, there exists a critical need for the development of small-animal models in which to study the untoward effects of HIV-1 infection. Owing to the fact that rodents are not the natural permissive hosts for lentiviral infection, development of small animal models for studying virus infection has used strategies that circumvent the steps of viral entry and infection. Such strategies involve overexpression of toxic viral proteins, SCID mice engrafted with the human PBLs or macrophages, and EcoHIV chimeric virus wherein the gp120 of HIV-1 was replaced with the gp80 of the ecotropic murine leukemia virus. Additional strategy that is often used by investigators to study the toxic effect of viral proteins involves direct stereotactic injection of the viral protein(s) into specific brain regions. The present report is a compilation of the applications of direct administration of Tat into the striatum to mimic the effects of the viral neurotoxin in the CNS. Added advantage of this model is that it is also amenable to repeated intraperitoneal cocaine injections, thereby allowing the study of the additive/synergistic effects of both the viral protein and cocaine. Such a model system recapitulates aspects of HAND in the context of drug abuse.
Partial characterization of atrial natriuretic factor in the hearts of Dahl salt-sensitive and salt-resistant rats.

Atria of adult Dahl salt-sensitive rats contain more atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) than those of Dahl saltresistant rats, as measured by RIA. This strain difference was not seen at 15 days of age, but was observed at and after 30 days of age. Neither a sodium-deficient diet nor an 8% NaCl diet started as early as 2 weeks of age altered this strain difference, although high dietary NaCl was associated with reduced atrial ANF concentration. In addition, no qualitative differences were found in the S and R ANF precursor, as assessed by 1) in vitro translation of atrial mRNA followed by immunoprecipitation of the ANF precursor and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and 2) fractionation of S and R atrial extracts by reverse phase HPLC. These findings support the view that the S vs. R strain difference in atrial ANF concentration is more likely to arise from genetic control of regulatory phenomena than from alterations in the structural part of the ANF gene. (Endocrinology 120: 2512–2520,1987)
The transient total pressure method: an analysis

Abstract The Transient Total Pressure Method is a combined experimental and data analysis method the purpose of which is to determine simultaneously the phase equilibria and kinetic behavior of chemical systems undergoing spontaneous chemical reactions. This paper presents further discussion of the method. The experimental equipment, procedure and previous conclusions are reviewed. Simulation studies analyzing the impact of transient total pressure magnitude, random error level and systematic metering error on the uncertainty in the kinetic constant, solution model parameters and reacting component vapor pressure are presented. The transient total pressure magnitude (TTPM) is expressed as the difference in pressure between the pure reacting component vapor pressure and the solution total pressure after 100% conversion of that component. Unbiased, precise estimates for the parameters can be obtained even when the TTPM is 5 kPa. The random errors having greatest impact on the parameter estimates are the pressure measurement and metering uncertainties. Systematic errors in the data due to initial composition error do not result in systematic trends in the residuals. Guidelines for implementing the method and recommendations for improving the equipment to minimize data systematic error are presented.
Internal proteins of bacteriophage T7.

Using electron microscopy it has been shown that there is a protein-containing structure (core) inside bacteriophage T7 which is surrounded by DNA. A similar core is found inside two different DNA-free T7 capsids ‡ isolated from lysates of T7-infected Escherichia coli. One of these capsids (capsid I) appears to play an important role in DNA packaging. Stereo electron microscopy has been used to show that the cores inside capsid I particles closely approximate cylinders with an axial hole. At higher resolution some cores appear to be made of discs of subunits arranged perpendicular to the core axis. Evidence is presented indicating that the core is attached to the outer envelope of the T7 capsids and T7 phage. The core in T7 phage is joined to the outer envelope at the same place as the tail. When DNA is released from T7 phage using heat shock, two types of DNA-free capsid are formed; one has no tail (capsid IVA) and the second has a tail (capsid IVB). Capsids IVA and IVB do not have cores. By comparing the protein compositions of T7 phage, the various T7 capsids and T7 tails, it has been shown that proteins P13, P14, P15 and P16 § are possible components of the core. The protein common to the T7 head, core and tail appears to be P8. Core proteins are also found in some of the capsid-DNA complexes described by Serwer, 1974a , Serwer, 1974b ). Evidence is presented indicating that the major protein of the envelope of T7, P10, is involved in binding DNA to capsids.
Low temperature surface photochemistry: O2 and CO on Ag(110) at 30 K

Abstract The photochemistry of O 2 adsorbed alone and of O 2 and CO coadsorbed on Ag(110) at 30 K was investigated with temperature programmed desorption (TPD), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and mass spectroscopy performed during sample irradiation.O 2 was found to desorb following photoconversion to the chemically adsorbed state for λ ⩽ 436 nm, as well as directly from the physically adsorbed state for λ ⩽ 600 nm. From the coadsorbed system, CO 2 photoproduction occurs over the same wavelength range as O 2 photodesorption (λ ⩽ 600 nm), while CO photodesorption is observed for λ ⩽ 500 nm. The observed wavelength dependences are found to be consistent with a photoexcitation mechanism involving the attachment of an excited substrate electron to the physically adsorbed O 2 molecule. CO 2 photoproduction is believed to occur via reactions between adsorbed CO molecules and both “hot” O atoms and chemically adsorbed O 2 molecules.
Structure and properties of some cresolphthalein derivatives

Abstract The following cresolphthalein (CP) derivatives are prepared from 5,5′-dibromocresolphthalein (3): 5,5′-dicyano (7), 5,5′-dicarbomethoxy (9); 5-bromo-5′-cyano (8), 5-bromo-5′-carbomethoxy (10), monomethyl ether (11) and 5,5′-dibromo monomethyl ether (13). The lactone ring remains intact in the monobasic forms of 11 and 12. The dibasic forms of the CP derivatives 3 and 8–10 show long-wavelength absorption bands, but exist mainly as the closed lactone structure. The dibasic form of 7 does not show long-wavelength absorption and exists only as the closed lactone structure. The proportion of ring-closed dianion goes as the electron-withdrawing ability of the substituents, and it increases in the order H
MAST CELL DEGRANULATION AND HISTAMINE RELEASE OBSERVED IN A NEW IN VITRO SYSTEM

A method is described by which mast cells harvested from the rat peritoneal cavity can be deposited on the surface of a Millipore filter without gross injury, permitting observation of morphological and chemical changes induced by a variety of agents. These isolated peritoneal mast cells respond to 48/80 and to polymyxin B but not to dextran or ovomucoid with degranulation and histamine release. Thus four agents which in vivo appear to have similar activities have been found by means of in vitro analysis to operate by at least two different mechanisms.
The validity and reliability of self-reported data from heroin addicts: mailed questionnaires compared with face-to-face interviews.

Immediately following receipt of their 1-year follow-up mailed questionnaire, 55 former patients from an addiction treatment program were interviewed personally, and a urine sample was collected. Results indicate a high degree of correspondence of self-reported drug use with the urinalysis reports, and moderately
So Poor We Can't Even Pay Attention: Identifying Important Serials for Political Science during the Great Recession

Determining the best journals to support an academic discipline is often a challenge. The article examines the most prominent political science journals and discusses a method for using the ISI Web of Science database to identify titles that the local academic faculty are using to support their scholarship.
Effect of Protonation on the Conformation of Cinchonidine

The protonation of cinchona alkaloids in solution leads to the severe restriction of their internal rotational degrees of freedom and to the locking of the molecule around a specific conformation held in place by a bridging counterion of the acid used for protonation. For HF, direct interactions were detected by NMR between the fluorine anion and not only with the acidic hydroxo group but also with non-acidic hydrogen atoms in the quinoline ring.
Auditory differential conditioning of the rabbit nictitating membrane response: IV. Training based on stimulus offset and the effect of an intertriai tone

In Experiment 1 each of two groups of 16 rabbits was given 5 days of differential conditioning in which the reinforced (CS+) and nonreinforced conditioned stimulus (CS−) were presented equally often in a random sequence. Tone onset was the CS for one group and tone offset was the CS for the second group. Both groups yielded similar rates of conditioning and differentiation. The effect on differentiation between an auditory CS+ and CS− when presenting an additional tone during the inter trial interval (ITI) was investigated in Experiment 2. Four groups of eight rabbits received 3 days of auditory differential conditioning in a 2 by 2 factorial design combining presence or absence of a 1000-Hz tone during the ITI with frequency separations (Δf) between CS+ and CS− of 200 and 1400 Hz. Differentiation was obtained only with the Δf of 1400 Hz, and, in contrast to results with human Ss, the presence of the tonal ITI stimulus disrupted differentiation in rabbits.
Risk stratification in coronary artery disease and special populations

In patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), left ventricular (LV) function, the number of diseased vessels, and the severity of myocardial ischemia are important determinants of survival. These factors can be used to identify subsets of high-risk patients who are candidates for aggressive intervention. Among patients with LV dysfunction, those with left main CAD, three-vessel disease, and one- or two-vessel disease with inducible ischemia are at highest risk. High-risk subsets among those with preserved LV function include patients with left main CAD and those with inducible ischemia and either three-vessel disease or two-vessel disease with involvement of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. Thus, exercise testing, assessment of ventricular function and, in selected patients, coronary angiography to determine coronary anatomy are valuable tools in risk stratification. In the primary-care setting, patient characteristics such as gender, race, age, and concomitant medical conditions may also be most useful in identifying high-risk patients. Although women in general have some primary protection against premature CAD, especially prior to the menopause, coronary risk in women who have experienced a cardiovascular event is similar to that in men. Coronary mortality is increased in minority populations, and the presence of other risk factors, such as diabetes and hyperlipidemia, can further increase this risk. Up to 80% of diabetic patients die of cardiovascular disease, 75% of which is CAD. The risk in this population is exacerbated by the abnormalities in lipid metabolism associated with the diabetic state. CAD mortality increases with aging, but it is recommended that elderly patients with CAD also receive risk factor intervention, such as cholesterol-lowering therapy. Consideration of the impact of such therapy on quality of life is especially important in initiating such interventions in the older population.
Why would anyone want to build a narrow channel (quantum wire) transistor

We show that while narrow channel (quantum wire) transistors may not exhibit higher unity gain frequency or switching speed than wide channel (quantum well) transistors, they may none the less possess vastly improved noise characteristics. Thus, they are desirable if the application calls for maximal signal-to-noise ratio. The reduced noise temperature in quasi-one-dimensional channels is mostly an aftermath of acoustic phonon confinement (which modifies the phonon dispersion relations), rather than carrier confinement. This is very counter-intuitive since acoustic phonon confinement (and the resultant modification of the phonon dispersion relations) also increases carrier scattering rates by several orders of magnitude.
The Interrelationship Linking Growth, Inequality and Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa

The combination of initial endemic poverty, high inequality and low growth has been a major obstacle to the achievement of poverty reduction and, more generally, overall socio-economic development in much of the African sub-continent. The rich contributions to a better understanding of pro-poor growth need to be complemented by a similar effort to understand better the mechanisms through which poverty impacts growth and how to design a pro-growth poverty-reduction strategy. The objectives of this paper are to review and attempt to synthesise the relevant literature on, first, the growth–inequality–poverty nexus and, second, the reverse causality linking reduced poverty to more inclusive growth within the context of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The analysis of the interrelationship among growth, inequality and poverty can be undertaken at different levels of aggregation. In this paper, this interrelationship is scrutinised under three different lenses: a global one, a macro (national) one and a micro one. Under each one of these lenses, an attempt is made to identify the main mechanisms through which growth affects poverty, while emphasising the relatively novel reverse causality and the various mechanisms through which poverty reduction can encourage present and future growth. A successful national development strategy needs to be context-specific and tailored to the initial conditions of each country. The final section of the paper derives a typology distinguishing Sub-Saharan economies according to their initial conditions such as quality of governance and institutions, resource endowment, level of development, potential for agricultural growth and geographical location. Six categories of SSA countries are identified and the most relevant development policies in each instance are suggested. Copyright 2013 , Oxford University Press.
On alternative state space representations of time series models

Abstract A new state space representation of time series models is described from which cointegration vectors are immediately obtainable. This representation is different from the one common in the literature, and allocates innovations in new data differently from that due to Beveridge and Nelson. The short-run behavior of these alternative representations is also different. For this reason Nelson's findings on spurious decomposition of his particular state space representation must be viewed cautiously since they may not generalize to other state space representations.
Predicting Employee Turnover from Communication Networks.

This article investigates three social network models of employee turnover: a structural equivalence model, a social influence model, and an erosion model. It was predicted that structurally equivalent individuals would be more likely to behave similarly (i.e., leave or stay at their position). The rocial influence model predicted that employees with a greater percentage of direct communication links with leavers would be more likely to leave their job. The erosion model posited that individuals located on the periphery of a social network would be more likely to leave their job or “fall off” the edges of the social network. A total of 170 employees, a census of an organization, were administered a communication network questionnaire asking them to identify the people with whom they communicate at work. Network self-report data were analyzed using NEGOPY and UCINET software. Results provided support for all three models of turnover, with the erosion model explaining more of the variance than the other two models. Future research examining communication networks and employee turnover is proposed, on the basis of these results.
Elucidating nuclear reprogramming mechanisms: taking a synergistic approach

Nuclear reprogramming is the process by which a differentiated somatic nucleus has developmental potential restored to it. It involves heritable changes in gene expression as well as structural and functional changes to chromatin structure. This process is naturally induced immediately after fertilization, but can also be artificially induced by nuclear transfer, cell fusion and also now by viral transduction with four stem cell genes. However, the frequency of successful reprogramming is low in each system. The highest success rates, those using nuclear transfer, are only of the order of 2-5%. This article briefly reviews these three methods and proposes a synergistic approach where conditions that facilitate reprogramming in one system are transposed to the others. This might increase the incidence of successful reprogramming and identify common steps necessary for the reacquisition of developmental potential.
Filaroides hirthi: experimental transmission among beagle dogs through ingestion of first-stage larvae

Four beagle dogs were found to be infected with sexually mature Filaroides hirthi lungworms from 1 to 3 months after they ingested material containing first-stage larvae opens the theoretical possibility of autoinfection of which few nematode parasites are capable.
Signal processing strategies for enhancement of signal-to-noise ratio of thermodilution measurements

Thermodilution measurements of clinically important cardiac parameters, such as cardiac output and stroke volume, are subject to many sources of error. The temperature fluctuations (thermal noise) normally found in the pulmonary artery constitute one of these sources of errors. To improve the signal-to-noise ratio of thermodilution flow measurements rather than increase the signal level, we investigated four signal processing strategies designed to reduce the thermal noise power. We applied the noise reduction strategies to thermal noise data, containing simulated thermodilution curves, obtained in a mock circulatory loop. We compared the accuracy and reproducibility of the curve area estimates produced by the algorithms to the area estimates obtained by numerical integration of the thermal signal. Our results show that a bandpass (BP) integration technique combined with a noise canceler can improve thermodilution curve area estimate reproducibility and accuracy. The BP integration technique improved the reproducibility of cardiac output measurements by roughly 16 dB and is directly applicable to most thermodilution hardware currently in use. The more accurate noise cancelers, combined with the BP integration technique, provided correspondingly improved signal-to-noise ratios, with the improvement ranging up to 50 dB.
On Bayes sequential design with two random variables

SUMMARY Sequential sampling is considered wherein, at each trial, the experimenter can choose to stop and take some action or else to perform one of two related experiments. An approximation to an asymptotically optimum decision rule is shown to be easily defined in practice and to be a Bayes rule in some cases. Average risks of this and other sequential design rules are compared. The technique of sequential design of experiments generalizes that of sequential analysis by allowing the experimenter, when he decides not to stop sampling, to choose his next experiment from among a class g of possible experiments. Much recent attention has been devoted to finding sequential designs which are optimum in some sense. For examples, see the references. In most of these, optimality means asymptotic optimality, as defined by Kiefer & Sacks (1963, Theorem 1). Whittle (1965) criticizes the crude nature of asymptotic optimality as a criterion and develops approximate, non-asymptotic results. In the present paper, yet another asymptotically optimum rule is considered in the special case wherein there are two possible states of nature, E = {O, 1}, and two possible experiments, = {O, 1}, with the density fg,e of the observable random variable given by fg,e = gl-el, where g0 and g, are known. It is shown that an approximate form of the rule is simply specified. In a special case, the proposed rule is proved to be a Bayes rule and its riskis compared with approximate risks of other proposed rules. Proof of results which are stated but not proved herein are given in my University of N. Carolina Ph.D. thesis (1965).
Gas chromatographic quantification of fatty acid methyl esters: flame ionization detection vs. electron impact mass spectrometry.

The determination of FAME by GC is among the most commonplace analyses in lipid research. Quantification of FAME by GC with FID has been effectively performed for some time, whereas detection with MS has been used chiefly for qualitative analysis of FAME. Nonetheless, the sensitivity and selectivity of MS methods advocate a quantitative role for GC-MS in FAME analysis—an approach that would be particularly advantageous for FAME determination in complex biological samples, where spectrometric confirmation of analytes is advisable. To assess the utility of GC-MS methods for FAME quantification, a comparative study of GC-FID and GC-MS methods has been conducted. FAME in prepared solutions as well as a biological standard reference material were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS methods using both ion trap and quadrupole MS systems. Quantification by MS, based on total ion counts and processing of selected ions, was investigated for FAME ionized by electron impact. Instrument precision, detection limits, calibration behavior, and response factors were investigated for each approach, and quantitative results obtained by each technique were compared. Although there were a number of characteristic differences between the MS methods and FID with respect to FAME analysis, the quantitative performance of GC-MS compared satisfactorily with that of GC-FID. The capacity to combine spectrometric examination and quantitative determination advances GC-MS as a powerful alternative to GC-FID for FAME analysis.
Effect of temperature on the pharmacokinetics of benzocaine in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) after bath exposures.

The pharmacokinetics of benzocaine during bath exposures at 1 mg/L were determined in rainbow trout acclimated at 6 °C, 12 °C or 18 °C for at least 1 month. Individual fish were exposed to benzocaine in a recirculating system for 4 h and pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated in a unique manner from the concentration of benzocaine in the bath water vs. time curve. Elimination from plasma was also determined after the 4 h exposure. The uptake clearance and metabolic clearance increased with increased acclimatization temperatures (uptake clearance 581 ± 179 mL/min/kg at 6 °C and 1154 ± 447 mL/min/kg at 18 °C; metabolic clearance 15.2 ± 4.1 mL/min/kg at 6 °C and 22.3 ± 4.2 mL/min/kg at 18 °C). The apparent volume of distribution had a trend for increasing with temperature that was not significant at the 5% level (2369 ± 678 mL/kg at 6 °C to 3260 ± 1182 mL/kg at 18 °C). The elimination half-life of benzocaine in plasma was variable and did not differ significantly with temperature (60.8 ± 30.3 min at 6 °C to 35.9 ± 13.0 min at 12 °C). Elimination of benzocaine from rainbow trout is relatively rapid and even more rapid at higher acclimatization temperatures based on calculated metabolic clearances and measured plasma concentrations, but was not evident by measurement of terminal plasma half-lifes.
Dissolved trace element cycles in the San Francisco Bay estuary

Abstract Dissolved trace element (copper, nickel, cadmium, zinc, cobalt, and iron) concentrations were measured in surface water samples collected from 27 stations in the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento—San Joaquin Delta during April, August and December of 1989. The trace element distributions were relatively similar for all three sampling periods, and evidenced two distinct biogeochemical regimes within the estuarine system. The two regimes were comprised of relatively typical trace element gradients in the northern reach and anthropogenically perturbed gradients in the southern reach of the estuary. These dichotomous trace element distributions were consistent with previous reports on the distributions of nutrients and some other constituents within the estuary. In the northern reach, trace element and dissolved phosphate concentrations were non-conservative. Simple estuarine mixing models indicated substantial internal sources of dissolved copper (46–150%), nickel (250–500%) and cadmium (630–780%) relative to riverine inputs in April and August, and sizable internal sinks for dissolved cobalt (> 99%) and iron (> 70%) during the same periods. Dissolved zinc fluxes varied temporally, with a relatively large (135%) internal source in April and a relatively small (29%) internal sink in August. Concentrations of many trace elements (copper, nickel, cadmium, zinc, and cobalt) in the southern reach were anomalously high relative to concentrations at comparable salinities in the northern reach. Mass balance calculations indicated that those excesses were primarily due to anthropogenic inputs (waste-water discharges and urban runoff) and diagenetic remobilization from benthic sediments. The magnitude of these excesses was amplified by the long hydraulic residence time of dissolved constituents within the South Bay. The influence of other factors was evident throughout the system. Notably, upwelling appeared to elevate substantially dissolved cadmium concentrations at the mouth of the estuary and authigenic flocculation appeared to dominate the cycling of dissolved iron in both the northern and southern reaches of the system. Biological scavenging, geochemical scavenging and diagenic remobilization were also found to be important in different parts of the estuary. Additional complementary information is required to quantify accurately these processes.
Effort, efficiency, and incentives in economic organizations

Abstract This paper establishes the possibility of achieving both efficiency and incentive compatibility within a hierarchical organization, even when managers are effortaverse, as long as efficiency is defined as incorporating managers' effort disutilities as opportunity costs of production. It is further argued that this approach yields the same (i.e., Pareto) type of efficiency as achieved by the perfectly competitive price system when managerial disutility of effort is allowed. Thus, the negative results published by Miller and Murrell hold because of the non-Paretian objective functions assumed for central planners.