cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
First-pass entry of nonionic contrast agent into the myocardial extravascular space. Effects on radiographic estimates of transit time and blood volume.

BACKGROUNDAlmost all x-ray-based techniques intended to assess regional myocardial perfusion from myocardial concentration-time curves following the administration of soluble contrast agents assume that these agents behave as intravascular indicators and can therefore provide measurements of intravascular transit time and intramyocardial blood volume.METHODS AND RESULTSWe tested this assumption by comparing a conventional nonionic contrast agent (ioversol) to a particulate emulsion (ethiodol) that remained in the vascular space in closed-chest dogs during pharmacological vasodilation. Using fast computed tomography (CT), pairs of myocardial CT intensity-time curves were obtained following sequential bolus aortic administration of the two contrast agents. The emulsion (particle size less than 3 microns) was almost completely washed out of the myocardial region of interest within a few seconds, as would be anticipated for a vascular indicator. At the onset of recirculation, CT intensity for ethiodol fell to...
Peanut Allergy, Peanut Allergens, and Methods for the Detection of Peanut Contamination in Food Products

Attention to peanut allergy has been rising rapidly for the last 5 y, because it accounts for the majority of severe food-related anaphylaxis, it tends to appear early in life, and it usually is not resolved. Low milligram amounts of peanut allergens can induce severe allergic reactions in highly sensitized individuals, and no cure is available for peanut allergy. This review presents updated information on peanut allergy, peanut allergens (Ara h1 to h8), and available methods for detecting peanuts in foods. These methods are based on the detection of either peanut proteins or a specific DNA fragment of peanut allergens. A summary of published methods for detecting peanut in foods is given with a comparison of assay formats, target analyte, and assay sensitivity. Moreover, a summary of the current availability of commercial peanut allergen kits is presented with information about assay format, target analyte, sensitivity, testing time, company/kit name, and AOAC validation.
Comparative hydrodynamics study in a bubble column using computer-automated radioactive particle tracking (CARPT)/computed tomography (CT) and particle image velocimetry (PIV)☆

Abstract The hydrodynamics of a 10-cm-diameter cylindrical bubble column at the superficial gas velocity of 2, 4, and 8 cm/s are investigated by computer-automated radioactive particle tracking (CARPT), particle image velocimetry (PIV), and computed tomography (CT). These experimental techniques are capable of providing the knowledge of velocity and holdup fields in a bubble column system, which are essential as the experimental benchmark for modeling of such systems. The flow field of liquid phase, as well as the Reynolds stresses, obtained by CARPT and PIV in an air–water system are compared in detail. The results indicate that CARPT and PIV complement each other well. Further, the profile of gas holdup obtained by gamma ray based on CT compares favorably to the independently determined holdup.
Influence of parent brand attitude and self-brand congruity on consumer response to green brand extensions for apparel products

Brand extensions allow brands with a loyal market following to engage in new sustainability efforts with less assumed risk. Green brand extensions not only appeal to consumers who share similar environmental values, but also is a fast-track marketing to the parent brand's customer base. This study examined how consumers' perceptions of the parent brand influence their response to green brand extensions. Examination of two variables, brand attitude and self-brand congruity, offers insight into whether a certain core group of customers who identify with the parent brand would be a more promising market for green brand extensions. Data from female college students show consumers who strongly identify with the parent brand may care less about the green brand extension but make direct decisions to purchase based on their preference for the parent brand name. Implications for companies to become leaders of sustainable business practices are discussed.
Financial accounting return on investment and financial leverage

Abstract This note presents a method for teaching the concept of financial leverage and its relationship to accounting rates of return. Typically, financial leverage is only briefly mentioned in introductory accounting textbooks, and it is rarely related explicitly to rates of return on total assets and on common stockholders' equity. Yet the concept is an important one for financial managers. We have developed and class tested a numerical illustration to explain in a conceptually sound manner why the two rates of return differ. Accounting instructors who share our view that financial leverage should be covered more thoroughly in the introductory accounting course will find this example to be a useful supplement. The example can also be used as a way to develop critical thinking skills or to enhance a user orientation.
Glutamic Acid 141 of the Diphtheria Toxin Receptor (HB-EGF Precursor) Is Critical for Toxin Binding and Toxin Sensitivity

Abstract The transmembrane precursor of the monkey heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor also functions as a diphtheria toxin receptor. The mouse precursor does not bind the toxin. Previously, the most important region for binding the toxin in the monkey precursor was narrowed down to residues 122–148 through the expression of chimeric mouse/monkey precursors and subsequent toxin-sensitivity assays. To define further the toxin binding domain of the monkey precursor, distinct monkey/mouse chimeric precursors were expressed and assayed. The region between monkey residues 136–148 was found to be absolutely necessary for the retention of toxin sensitivity. Within this region, the monkey and mouse precursors differ in only two residues (residues 141 and 147). A toxin-insensitive monkey/mouse chimera that contained monkey residues 1–136 was converted to a toxin-sensitive chimera by the mutation of a single residue (His141 to Glu141). Expression of a mutant monkey precursor in which a single monkey residue (Glu141) was converted to the mouse residue (His141) yielded a cell line that was ∼100-fold less sensitive to the toxin and the mutant precursor bound the toxin ∼12-fold less tightly than the wild-type monkey precursor. Taken together, these results indicate that Glu 141 plays a critical role in toxin binding and toxin sensitivity.
The Quality Implementation Framework: A Synthesis of Critical Steps in the Implementation Process

Implementation science is growing in importance among funders, researchers, and practitioners as an approach to bridging the gap between science and practice. We addressed three goals to contribute to the understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of implementation. Our first goal was to provide a conceptual overview of the process of implementation by synthesizing information from 25 implementation frameworks. The synthesis extends prior work by focusing on specific actions (i.e., the “how to”) that can be employed to foster high quality implementation. The synthesis identified 14 critical steps that were used to construct the Quality Implementation Framework (QIF). These steps comprise four QIF phases: Initial Considerations Regarding the Host Setting, Creating a Structure for Implementation, Ongoing Structure Once Implementation Begins, and Improving Future Applications. Our second goal was to summarize research support for each of the 14 QIF steps and to offer suggestions to direct future research efforts. Our third goal was to outline practical implications of our findings for improving future implementation efforts in the world of practice. The QIF’s critical steps can serve as a useful blueprint for future research and practice. Applying the collective guidance synthesized by the QIF to the Interactive Systems Framework for Dissemination and Implementation (ISF) emphasizes that accountability for quality implementation does not rest with the practitioner Delivery System alone. Instead, all three ISF systems are mutually accountable for quality implementation.
Effects of soil insecticides on apple trees and resulting effect on mite nutrition.

Apple trees were grown in semifield conditions in cans of soil treated with several levels of DDT, dieldrin, and BHC. Fertilizer was added to the soil in 1956 but not in 1957. Females of Panonychus ulmi (Koch) and Tetranychus telarius (L.) were cultured on leaves detached from the trees and the resulting progeny were counted. Reactions of the trees were measured. Analyses of foliage were made for total nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Analyses of variance were performed on the tree reactions, the results of the foliage analyses, and the mite counts. Tests for correlation coefficient ( r ) were made on absorbed elements with populations. Root weight was lowered by all treatments in 1956, significantly by dieldrin. DDT at 100 pounds per acre in 1957 increased root weight, not significantly. BHC and dieldrin depressed twig growth, not significantly. Changes in chemical composition of the slower growing, woody apple trees were less striking than those previously found in beans, soybeans, and cotton. On fertilized soil in 1956 DDT at 100 pounds per acre elevated absorbed phosphorus to 0.32% and depressed populations of both species, and at 1,000 pounds increased both populations over the untreated check and significantly over the 100 pound level. In 1957 DDT at 100 and 4,000 pounds on unfertilized soil significantly increased per cent nitrogen over the untreated check and also increased the populations. That year the absorbed phosphorus generally fell below 0.20% and it was significantly correlated positively with T. telarius populations while the relationship between the two in the previous year was generally negative. These results support previous findings of a similar nature concerning ranges of absorbed phosphorus and T. telarius populations. Dieldrin at 50 pounds per acre increased T. telarius over the check and at 500 pounds depressed both species below the check and 50-pound levels. BHC depressed T. telarius populations, only, at both 20-and 200-pound levels. Thus, DDT at 100 pounds per acre has been shown to be capable of significantly affecting both the chemical composition of the apple tree and the mite populations developing thereon. This amount, and even more, of DDT could easily be applied to a commercial orchard over two seasons in a normal spray schedule. Thus, the buildup of insecticide residues on the orchard floor should be considered a potential factor influencing the mite populations. Also evident in this work was the fact that insecticide effects on both foliage composition and mites may vary with the fertility level of the soil.
Sheep-goat hybrid karyotypes

Abstract A "Spanish" goat female was bred to a Barbados sheep ram and gave birth to twin offspring, one of each sex. The F l female was backcrossed to a Barbados ram and also gave birth to twins, one of each sex. The F l female has goat-like characters and the coloration of the Barbados. Although the female Barbados is polled, the F l female hybrid has goat-like horns. The F l male was lost before assessments could be made. The F l hybrid possesses a diploid chromosome number of 57 and a karyotype containing 3 unpaired metacentrics, 5 unpaired and 23 pairs of acrocentric autosomes. The male and female backcrosses have Barbados characters and coloration; however, the female has goat-like horns. The male has Barbados or sheep-like horns. The backcrosses have diploid chromosome numbers of 55 and karyotypes containing 1 unpaired and 2 pairs of metacentrics and 2 unpaired and 23 pairs of acrocentric autosomes. The sex chromosomes consist of a large acrocentric X and a small bi-armed Y in the male and 2 large acrocentric Xs in the female.
Life Review: Preventing Despair in Newly Relocated Nursing Home Residents Short- and Long-Term Effects:

Relocation to a nursing home places frail elders at risk for developing depression and suicide ideation. This study followed two hundred and fifty-six newly relocated nursing home residents for five years. Using a Solomon Four research design, participants were divided into four groups, two control and two experimental, one each with pretesting and all with posttesting. Participants in the control groups received a friendly visit and those in the experimental groups received the intervention of life review. Immediate short-term results showed the life review to be an effective preventive intervention for clinical depression (p = .05). Additionally, when looking at long-term effects at one year, there were significant decrease in depression (p = .05), hopelessness (p = .01), and psychological well-being (p = .02) with measurable increases in life satisfaction (p = .08). These findings support the hypothesis that life review prevents despair in frail elders newly admitted to a nursing home.
Minimal distensibility of pulmonary capillaries in avian lungs compared with mammalian lungs

Previous physiological studies suggest that avian pulmonary capillaries behave like almost rigid tubes. We made morphometric measurements to determine the diameter of the capillaries in chicken lungs when the transmural pressure was altered over a wide range. The diameter of avian pulmonary capillaries increased by only 13% when the pressure inside them was raised from 0 to 25 cmH(2)O. In contrast, other studies have shown that the mean width of the pulmonary capillaries in dogs increased by about 125% and in cats by 128% for the same pressure change. Furthermore, raising the pressure 35 cmH(2)O outside the capillaries compared to the pressure inside the capillaries in chicken lungs caused little change in diameter whereas under the same conditions in mammal lungs the capillaries are completely collapsed. We conclude that the epithelial bridges between the blood capillaries in the bird lung provide strong support to the capillaries both in expansion and compression.
The snake-in-the-box problem: a new upper bound

Abstract We give a new upper bound for the length of the largest induced cycle in the hypercube.
Safe configuration of TLS connections

Transport Layer Security (TLS) and its precursor Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) are the most widely deployed protocol to establish secure communication over insecure Internet Protocol (IP) networks. Providing a secure session layer on top of TCP, TLS is frequently the first defense layer encountered by adversaries who try to cause loss of confidentiality by sniffing live traffic or loss of integrity using man-in-the-middle attacks. Despite its wide deployment and evolution over the last 18 years, TLS remains vulnerable to a number of threats at the protocol layer and therefore does not provide strong security out-of-the-box, requiring tweaks to its configuration in order to provide the expected security benefits. This paper provides a summary of the current TLS threat surface together with a validated approach for minimizing the risk of TLS-compromise. The main contributions of this paper include 1) identification of configuration options that together maximize security guarantees in the context of recent TLS exploits and 2) specification of expected flows and automated comparison with observed flows to flag inconsistencies.
Transfer Issues in Preservice Undergraduate Teacher Education Programs

The national teacher shortage has made it imperative for two- and four-year colleges to collaborate in facilitating transfer of education majors. This chapter focuses on some of the challenges to transfer and articulation in Missouri.
Abbreviated action potential kinetics in a mouse model of potassium channel overexpression during hippocampal development.

Loss or “gain” of function mutations in voltage-gated ion channels often results in an adverse neurological phenotype. We have examined the electrical characteristics of hippocampal pyramidal cells in a transgenic mouse model to determine how overexpression of a Shaker-type potassium channel subunit during early postnatal development might alter excitability properties of developing neurons. We found that in CA3 neurons potassium channel overexpression led to a transient shortening in duration of single action potentials during the first two postnatal weeks. There was an increase in maximal repolarization rate, without significant effect on the rate of rise. Transgenic CA3 neurons also showed a decrease of firing frequency in response to sustained depolarizing current injection. In contrast, repolarization of action potentials in CA1 neurons was not significantly altered by trangene expression. Western Blot Analysis of membrane-associated transgene protein indicated that transgene protein levels decreased during development, in agreement with functional measures of spike width. Our data indicate that the functional consequences of potassium channel transgene expression are dependent on cellular environment and developmental stage. A transient period of hypoexcitability during a critical period of development for CA3 neurons may contribute to the hyperexcitable phenotype observed in adult animals.
Colour as Simple: A Reply to Westphal

With the rejection of Tractarian metaphysics, in part because of the later Wittgenstein's teachings on the relativity of simplicity, philosophers these days tend to shy away from the classical problem of determining the ultimate simples of reality. Talk of ontological simples has fallen by the wayside in contemporary metaphysics. This is an unfortunate situation. In this paper I want to pursue the question of whether colours are simple. I will argue they are. Given the above warnings, I will restrict my claim to the following: Within the conceptual scheme we are at home with, the one which tracks with common sense, colours are simple. That colours may be ultimately simple, across different conceptual schemes, is a topic I will not pursue. Obviously the first task confronting such a defence is to achieve clarity on the notion of 'simple'. I will start with an understanding whereby 'simple' is a contrastive term, contrasting with 'complex'. 'Simple' then is to mean something like, 'without parts'. In the end we may want to (and in fact, will) revise this conception of 'simple', but the no-parts understanding is a fine place to begin.
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in the Inner City

Increasingly, middle-aged and older adults are parenting grandchildren and other young kin in ‘skipped generation’ families. Changes in the multigenerational family structure, devastating social problems in our inner cities, notably the substance-abuse and HIV/AIDS epidemics of the 1980s, and public policy and ethnocultural norms that govern kin care are discussed as contributing factors to this phenomenon. Recent studies focusing on grandparent caregivers of color, as well as policy and programmatic responses to the rapid growth of this family configuration, are discussed. The author offers recommendations for assessing and building on existing strengths and addressing the service needs of grandparent caregivers and their families through direct practice and public policy.
Predictivism for Pluralists

Predictivism asserts that novel confirmations carry special probative weight. Epistemic pluralism asserts that the judgments of agents (about, e.g., the probabilities of theories) carry epistemic import. In this paper, I propose a new theory of predictivism that is tailored to pluralistic evaluators of theories. I replace the orthodox notion of usenovelty with a notion of endorsement-novelty, and argue that the intuition that predictivism is true has two roots. I provide a detailed Bayesian rendering of this theory and argue that pluralistic theory evaluation pervades scientific practice. I compare my account of predictivism with those of Maher and Worrall.
Ant community structure and response to disturbances on coastal dunes of Gulf of Mexico

Coastal dunes are complex and fragile ecosystems. The decrease in environmental stressors from sea to inland creates zonation patterns of habitats, which support high biodiversity. Although coastal dunes have been examined in primary succession studies for more than 100 years, invertebrates have received much less attention than other taxa. In this study, we examined ant community composition and its relationship with vegetation structure on dunes, and used ants as indicators to reveal the influence of anthropogenic disturbances on these habitats. Quadrat sampling, hand collecting, and beating plants were used to sample ants on coastal dunes fringing the northern Gulf of Mexico. Ants representing 44 species were found, with diversity and number of functional groups increasing from foredunes to backdunes. Bush areas of the backdunes supported a unique ant community. Ant diversity was correlated with plant richness, stem number, and plant cover, but the correlation was not consistent among habitats. Ant diversity was lower in degraded, young-planted, and re-built but not in old-planted sites. In addition, different types of disturbance changed the ant community and functional groups in different ways. Our study emphasizes the importance of protecting the whole dune system, especially the backdunes, which support high diversity but are often completely destroyed by urban development. Data from this research provides a benchmark to examine trajectories of coastal dune ecosystem degradation or recovery when exposed to natural or anthropogenic disturbances.
Your vote counts on account of the way it is counted: An institutional solution to the paradox of not voting

When we explicitly lay out all its steps, we find that the Paradox of Not Voting (since the chance of one vote's making a difference is about zero, why trouble to vote?) rests on a false but hitherto unremarked assumption about the institutional context of elections. My solution to the Paradox is more conservative than others that have been proposed, and it yields a rational-choice model of voting whose consequence accord well with empirical findings on turnout.
DNA processing in temperature-sensitive morphogenic mutants of HSV-1.

Abstract The anatomy of DNA synthesized by five HSV-1 mutants previously shown to accumulate predominantly empty capsids at the nonpermissive temperature (NPT) was analyzed with Bg /ll restriction digestion. At the NPT, all five generated DNA lacking termini, indicating that in the absence of packaging, viral DNA is not processed to unit length. One mutant, F18, was able to process DNA made at the NPT to unit length molecules during a 6-hr period after shift to the permissive temperature. The appearance of unit length molecules correlated with the appearance of staphylococcal nuclease-resistant F18 DNA.
A revolving iterative algorithm for decoding algebraic quasi-cyclic LDPC codes

An effective reduced-complexity min-sum algorithm for decoding algebraic quasi-cyclic LDPC codes is presented. The proposed decoding algorithm significantly reduces the hardware implementation complexity, the size of memory required to store information, and the computational complexity of a decoder with no or a small loss in performance compared to the scaled min-sum algorithm.
Balloon-borne submillimeterwave stratospheric measurements

A new remote sensing instrument, the Submillimeterwave Limb Sounder, has been developed to simultaneously measure ClO, HCl, O3 and HO2 from high altitude balloon and aircraft platforms. The instrument is a double sideband heterodyne radiometer measuring atmospheric thermal emission spectra near 640 GHz from the Earth's limb. The instrument was flown in April and October, 1991 and in February, 1992 on high altitude balloon platforms over the southwestern United States.
Delineating the Hearing Loss in Children With Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct

Objective/Hypothesis: To explore the clinical characteristics and audiologic outcomes in children with enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA). Study Design: Retrospective study in a pediatric tertiary care facility. Methods: A total of 54 cases (82 ears) of children with EVA were identified with complete records, including otologic evaluation, imaging studies, and audiologic assessments. The diagnosis of EVA was confirmed by computerized tomography scan/magnetic resonance imaging of the temporal bone. Hearing status was assessed using behavioral testing or auditory brainstem response (ABR). Tympanometry, acoustic reflex, and vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) testing were also performed when appropriate. Results: Fifty-two percent of our EVA cases showed bilateral involvement, and 43% of all ears with EVA also had cochlear malformations, such as Mondini dysplasia. Sensorineural HL was initially diagnosed in 16 ears (20% of the total) with EVA whereas conductive or mixed HL was found in 66 ears (80% of the total). Further review of all EVA cases with sensorineural HL showed lack of proper bone conduction testing, so air-bone gaps were missed. Despite air-bone gaps in EVA ears, middle ear pressure and mobility were usually normal, along with present acoustic reflexes. VEMP responses were present with abnormally low thresholds. Conclusions: Air-bone gap(s) can be found in most ears with EVA if both air and bone conduction thresholds are properly tested. Normal tympanometry, presence of acoustic reflex and low threshold VEMP responses suggest that the air-bone gap in EVA is due to an inner ear anomaly, similar to the “third” labyrinthine window syndrome.
Pharmacologic manipulation of a four day murine delayed type hypersensitivity model

A murine delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) model was developed as a tool for drug discovery. Time course studies indicated that hind paw swelling was maximal at four days post-sensitization with picryl chloride. A pharmacological survey involving daily administration of drugs revealed that as a class, the glucocorticoids (e.g. dexamethasone and corticosterone) were the most potent inhibitors of the DTH response. The immunosuppressants, methotrexate, cyclosporine A, cyclophosphamide, and azathioprine, were all able to suppress the DTH response, with methotrexate being the most potent suppressor of paw swelling. Likewise, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (e.g. indomethacin, piroxicam, diclofenac, and naproxen) all suppressed the DTH response, with indomethacin and piroxicam being the most potent suppressors. A series of central nervous system affecting drugs, including serotonin agonists [e.g. trifluromethylphenylpiperazine (tfMPP), 1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine (mCPP), quipazine, and 8-hydroxy-DPAT hydrobromide (8-OH DPAT)], and serotonin antagonists (e.g. cyproheptadiene, ketanserin, and mianserin) were examined in the 4 day DTH model. Except for 8-OH DPAT, all of the serotonin agonists were able to suppress the DTH response, with mCPP being the most potent suppressor. In contrast, none of the tested serotonin antagonists had any effect on the DTH response. The histamine antagonists (e.g. cimetidine and chlorphineramine) were largely ineffective in suppressing the DTH response. These data provide a pharmacological profile for a series of immunomodulator, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, and central nervous system active compounds in a classic immunologic model.
Recovery of DNA fragments from gels by transfer to DEAE-paper in an electrophoresis chamber.

Abstract A rapid and convenient technique for the simultaneous high-yield purification of multiple bands of DNA fragments from a single agarose or polyacrylamide gel is described. This technique utilizes the best features of several previously published methods, including electrophoretic transfer of DNA to DEAE-cellulose paper, transfer at right angles to the gel surface to yield a replica of DNA bands on the paper, and use of simple handmade microfilters to recover the DNA. The use of a new device, the electrophoretic transfer chamber (e.g., the Trans-Blot apparatus made by Bio-Rad), permits the incorporation of these desirable features into a single method and simplifies the manipulations involved.
Respiratory oscillations in adapting yeast cultures.

Oscillation in intermediary metabolism have become well recognized as perturbation-induced transients or, more rarely, as sustained events in cells and subcellular systems1–7. These oscillatory phenomena have served as indicators of complex biochemical regulatory mechanisms as well as potential models for the metabolic basis of physiological rhythms. The recognition of feedback control and allosteric enzyme regulation has helped to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in some of these phenomena, the most clearly understood system being the high-frequency (approximately 2 min−1) glycolytically-associated oscillations1,5 in the yeast Saccharomyces carlsbergensis.
Use of the Vacuum Extractor by Midwives—What Has Changed in the Last Decade?

This article provides an update on use of vacuum extraction by certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs). Research findings from the last decade relevant to the training and use of vacuum extractors are reviewed along with professional guidelines and legal implications.
On entire solutions of a family of nonlinear partial differential equations of prime degree

We characterize entire solutions of a new family of nonlinear first-order partial differential equations of prime degree p (equation 1). In particular, we show that in the Borel family (defined in the article) of entire functions in the entire solutions of (1) are of exponential form. Then, we address the general case when p = 3, and show that under some natural conditions the entire solutions are also of exponential form.
Conformational change of the N-domain on formation of the complex between the GTPase domains of Thermus aquaticus Ffh and FtsY.

The structural basis for the GTP-dependent co-translational targeting complex between the signal recognition particle (SRP) and its receptor is unknown. The complex has been shown to have unusual kinetics of formation, and association in vivo is likely to be dependent on catalysis by the SRP RNA. We have determined conditions for RNA-independent association of the ‘NG’ GTPase domains of the prokaryotic homologs of the SRP components, Ffh and FtsY, from Thermus aquaticus. Consistent with previous studies of the Escherichia coli proteins, the kinetics of association and dissociation are slow. The T. aquaticus FtsY is sensitive to an endogenous proteolytic activity that cleaves at two sites—the first in a lengthy linker peptide that spans the interface between the N and G domains, and the second near the N-terminus of the N domain of FtsY. Remarkably, this second cleavage occurs only on formation of the Ffh/FtsY complex. The change in protease sensitivity of this region, which is relatively unstructured in the FtsY but not in the Ffh NG domain, implies that it undergoes conformational change on formation of the complex between the two proteins. The N domain, therefore, participates in the interactions that mediate the GTP-dependent formation of the targeting complex.
A metric of maternal prenatal risk drinking predicts neurobehavioral outcomes in preschool children.

Background: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs), including Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, continue to be high-incidence developmental disorders. Detection of patterns of maternal drinking that place fetuses at risk for these disorders is critical to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, but is challenging and often insufficient during pregnancy. Various screens and measures have been used to identify maternal risk drinking but their ability to predict child outcome has been inconsistent. This study hypothesized that a metric of fetal “at-risk” alcohol exposure (ARAE) derived from several indicators of maternal self-reported drinking would predict alcohol-related neurobehavioral dysfunctions in children better than individual measures of maternal alcohol consumption alone. Methods: Self-reported peri-conceptional and repeated maternal drinking during pregnancy were assessed with semi-structured interviews and standard screens, i.e., the CAGE, T-ACE, and MAST, in a prospective sample of 75 African-American mothers. Drinking volumes per beverage type were converted to standard quantity and frequency measures. From these individual measures and screening instruments, a simple dichotomous index of prenatal ARAE was defined and used to predict neurobehavioral outcomes in the 4- to 5-year-old offspring of these women. Study outcomes included IQ, attention, memory, visual-motor integration, fine motor skill, and behavior. Statistical analyses controlled for demographic and other potential confounders. Results: The current “at-risk” drinking metric identified over 62% of the mothers as drinking at risk levels—23% more than the selection criterion identified—and outperformed all individual quantity and frequency consumption measures, including averages of weekly alcohol use and “binge” alcohol exposures (assessed as intake per drinking occasion), as well as an estimate of the Maternal Substance Abuse Checklist (Coles et al., 2000), in predicting prenatal alcohol-related cognitive and behavioral dysfunction in 4- to 5-year-old children. Conclusions: A metric reflecting multiple indices of “at-risk” maternal alcohol drinking in pregnancy had greater utility in predicting various prenatal alcohol-related neurobehavioral dysfunction and deficits in children compared to individual measures of maternal self-reported alcohol consumption or a previous maternal substance abuse index. Assessing fetal risk drinking in pregnant women was improved by including multiple indicators of both alcohol consumption and alcohol-related consequences and, if appropriate practical applications are devised, may facilitate intervention by health care workers during pregnancy and potentially reduce the incidence or severity of FASDs.
Synonymy of Pseudomonas avenae Manns 1905 and Pseudomonas alboprecipitans Rosen 1922

The nomenspecies Pseudomonas avenae Manns 1909 and Pseudomonas alboprecipitans Rosen 1922, causal agents of leaf blight of oats and leaf blight of corn, have been compared with respect to their physiological and biological properties as described in the early literature. Except for a few minor physiological characters, most of the properties were identical to those determined herein with P. alboprecipitans isolates obtained in Georgia and Florida and with the “lecto” type strain (ATCC 19860). All isolates of P. alboprecipitans were closely related genetically as judged from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-DNA reassociation experiments. On the other hand, DNA of P. alboprecipitans failed to reassociate with DNA of fluorescent Pseudomonas syringae 5D417 and Pseudomonas andropogonis PA146 isolated from sorghum or the nonfluorescent Pseudomonas atrofaciens PA13 isolated from wheat. P. alboprecipitans isolates also possessed DNA of relatively high guanine plus cytosine (G+C) content (72.2 mol%) as compared to the 57.8 mol% G+C of P. atrofaciens and P. andropogonis.
Brodnax Minerals Company: A Case Study on Auditors' Responsibilities

Brodnax is a comprehensive auditing case involving litigation between external auditors and shareholders who lost billions of dollars as a result of a massive fraud. Students are required to discuss several important topics covered in most external auditing courses: the objectives and limitations of an audit, issues involving client acceptance and risk to the auditing firm, the rendering of appropriate audit opinions, and the auditors' responsibilities for the detection of fraud. The objective of the case is to provide students with an opportunity to see the importance for practicing auditors to consider the legal ramifications of performing their jobs in light of the litigious environment in which auditors work.
The Distribution of Ocypode quadrata, Atlantic Ghost Crab (Decapoda: Brachyura: Ocypodidae) Megalopae, beyond the Presumptive Northern Boundary of Adult Populations in the Northwest Atlantic

Abstract Previous observations on the occurrence of the megalopae of Ocypode quadrata (Atlantic Ghost Crab) along the inshore waters of the northeastern coast of the US from New Jersey to southern Massachusetts and the offshore waters of southwestern Nova Scotia, dating back to the end of the 19th century to recent findings in the 21st century, are reviewed. Although megalopae were found for the first time north of Cape Cod in plankton samples from Nova Scotia (1977–1978), they are reported here for the first time on beaches north of Cape Cod along the east coast of Massachusetts and as far north as Kennebunkport, ME. The nearest populations of adult Atlantic Ghost Crabs are located along the southeast coast of Massachusetts. Thus, zoeae larvae and megalopae originating below Cape Cod must migrate northward around the Cape or via Buzzards Bay through the Cape Cod Canal. Likewise, megalopae reported from southwestern Nova Scotian waters must have originated from adult populations to the south. The incidenc...
Electron scattering, photoexcitation, and nuclear models

We present a review of the basic theory of electron scattering from nuclei and of photonuclear processes, as well as a discussion of the analysis of electron scattering experiments. This includes cross sections in Born approximation, elastic scattering from nuclei for the study of nuclear moments, and continuum scattering. Particular attention is given to inelastic electron scattering with excitation of nuclear levels, both below and in the giant resonance region. Various theoretical models are discussed that describe excitations of nuclear states.
Environmental releases from exploration and production operations in Oklahoma: Type, volume, causes, and prevention

A total of 16,906 recent fluid releases were reported to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) during the 10-yr period from 1993 to 2003. Of these, 12,863 were identified as exploration- and production-related releases of oil or saltwater from identified geographic areas. The primary reported origins of oil and saltwater releases were leaks from lines, tanks, wellheads, surface equipment, and pits. Important reported causes of fluid releases range from common overflows (tank, pit, and dike), intentional dumping or other illegal activity, storms, fires or explosions, accidents (including the actions of livestock), and to occasional corrosion. Approximately 34% of all recent oil or saltwater releases resulted in reported injury to environmental receptors (surface water, crops or livestock, soil, fish, or wildlife). For the 10-yr period of record, 41% of all exploration and production complaints to OCC involved the release of oil or saltwater. On an annual basis, complaints involving the release of fluids decreased from 65.8% in 1993 to 46.1% in 2002. Releases specifically identified as involving oil or saltwater comprised 76.1% of all fluid releases. Quantified releases of oil had a median volume of 10 bbl, whereas quantified releases of saltwater had a median volume of 40 bbl. For those releases in which the volume of both oil and saltwater were quantified, the volume of saltwater spilled was approximately 76% of the total volume.
Accurate fault modeling and fault simulation of resistive bridges

This paper presents accurate fault models, an accurate fault simulation technique, and a new fault coverage metric for resistive bridging faults in gate level combinational circuits at nominal and reduced power supply voltages. We show that some faults have unusual behavior, which has been observed in practice. On the ISCAS85 benchmark circuits we show that a zeroohm bridge fault model can be quite optimistic in terms of coverage of voltage-testable bridging faults.
Haplotype motifs: an algorithmic approach to locating evolutionarily conserved patterns in haploid sequences

The promise of plentiful data on common human genetic variations has given hope that we will be able to uncover genetic factors behind common diseases that have proven difficult to locate by prior methods. Much recent interest in this problem has focused on using haplotypes (contiguous regions of correlated genetic variations), instead of the isolated variations, in order to reduce the size of the statistical analysis problem. In order to most effectively use such variation data, we will need a better understanding of haplotype structure, including both the general principles underlying haplotype structure in the human population and the specific structures found in particular genetic regions or sub-populations. This paper presents a probabilistic model for analyzing haplotype structure in a population using conserved motifs found in statistically significant sub-populations. It describes the model and computational methods for deriving the predicted motif set and haplotype structure for a population. It further presents results on simulated data, in order to validate the method, and on two real datasets from the literature, in order to illustrate its practical application.
Down-regulation of MicroRNAs (MiRs) 203, 887, 3619 and 182 Prevents Vimentin-triggered, Phospholipase D (PLD)-mediated Cancer Cell Invasion *

Breast cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women. Metastasis is initiated after epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT). We have found a connection between EMT markers and the expression of four microRNAs (miRs) mediated by the signaling enzyme phospholipase D (PLD). Low aggressive MCF-7 breast cancer cells have low endogenous PLD enzymatic activity and cell invasion, concomitant with high expression of miR-203, -887, and -3619 (that decrease PLD2 translation and a luciferase reporter) and miR-182 (targeting PLD1) that are, therefore, "tumor-suppressor-like" miRs. The combination miR-887+miR-3619 abolished >90% of PLD enzymatic activity. Conversely, post-EMT MDA-MB-231 cells have low miR expression, high levels of PLD1/2, and high aggressiveness. The latter was reversed by ectopically transfecting the miRs, which was negated by silencing miRs with specific siRNAs. We determined that the molecular mechanism is that E-cadherin triggers expression of the miRs in pre-EMT cells, whereas vimentin dampens expression of the miRs in post-EMT invasive cells. This novel work identifies for the first time a set of miRs that are activated by a major pre-EMT marker and deactivated by a post-EMT marker, boosting the transition from low invasion to high invasion, as mediated by the key phospholipid metabolism enzyme PLD.
Model-independent determination of the shear viscosity of the unitary Fermi gas at high temperature

Determinations of the shear viscosity of trapped ultracold gases suffer from systematic, uncontrolled uncertainties related to the treatment of the dilute part of the gas cloud. In this work we present an analysis of expansion experiments based on a new method, anisotropic fluid dynamics, that interpolates between Navier-Stokes fluid dynamics at the center of the cloud and ballistic behavior in the dilute corona. We validate the method using a comparison between anisotropic fluid dynamics and numerical solutions of the Boltzmann equation. We then apply anisotropic fluid dynamics to the expansion data reported by Cao et al. In the high temperature limit we find $\eta=0.282(mT)^{3/2}$, which agrees within about 5\% with the theoretical prediction $\eta=0.269(mT)^{3/2}$.
Fosfomycin: Resurgence of an old companion.

Fosfomycin was discovered over four decades ago, yet has drawn renewed interest as an agent active against a range of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) pathogens. Its unique mechanism of action and broad spectrum of activity makes it a promising candidate in the treatment of various MDR/XDR infections. There has been a surge of in vitro data on its activity against MDR/XDR organisms, both when used as a single agent and in combination with other agents. In the United States, fosfomycin is only approved in an oral formulation for the treatment of acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs), whereas in some countries both oral and intravenous formulations are available for various indications. Fosfomycin has minimal interactions with other medications and has a relatively favorable safety profile, with diarrhea being the most common adverse reaction. Fosfomycin has low protein binding and is excreted primarily unchanged in the urine. The clinical outcomes of patients treated with fosfomycin are favorable for uncomplicated UTIs, but data are limited for use in other conditions. Fosfomycin maintains activity against most Enterobacteriaceae including Escherichia coli, but plasmid-mediated resistance due to inactivation have appeared in recent years, which has the potential to compromise its use in the future. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of this resurgent agent and its role in our antimicrobial armamentarium.
Safflomide increases the expression of adiponectin in vitro and in vivo: potential implication for hypoadiponectemia, visceral obesity, and insulin resistance

Safflomide (N-caffeoyltryptamine) is a phenolic amide with serotonin receptor antagonist and antioxidant activities. We investigated the potential effects of safflomide on the expression of adipokines in vitro and in vivo. Safflomide did not affect the expressions of TNF-α, IL-6, and MCP-1/CCL2 in hypertrophic 3T3-L1 cells but upregulated adiponectin mRNA 1-5-fold at concentrations between 1 and 20 μM (p < 0.05). Because safflomide is a non-selective 5-HT receptor antagonist and because the expression of 5-HT2A receptor is often inversely correlated to adiponectin expression, the potential effects of 5-HT receptor antagonist activity of safflomide on the expression of adiponectin was further investigated in 3T3-L1 cells. At the concentration of 10 μM, safflomide was able to increase adiponectin protein production in 3T3-L1 cells more than 4-fold (p < 0.05), which was greater than the 5-HT2A antagonist ketanserin. The upregulation was partially suppressed by treatment with 5-HT2A agonists (serotonin and α-Me-5-HT), suggesting that safflomide may upregulate adiponectin expression more than by blocking 5-HT2A receptors in 3T3-L1 cells. Likely, the upregulation was also attributed to the antioxidant activity of safflomide because two safflomide analogues (N-cinnamoyltryptamine and N-coumaroyltryptamine) with less antioxidant activity were not as potent as safflomide. Rats supplemented with safflomide (3 mg/day) in a high-fat diet showed a significant plasma adiponectin increase (more than 30%) with a significant reduction in body weight, visceral fat, and improved insulin resistance compared to non-supplemented rats, demonstrating the in vivo activity of safflomide. These data suggest that safflomide may have beneficial effects on obesity-related conditions, such as low adiponectin, visceral obesity, and insulin resistance.
Endoscopic abdominoplasty and endoscopically assisted miniabdominoplasty.

Recent developments in abdominal contouring procedures have included the extensive use of liposuction and the use of modified or limited scars, producing in effect a “downsizing” of the operative procedures for many patients. The use of minimally invasive techniques based on endoscopic technology and instrumentation represents a logical extension of this trend. Endoscopic visualization and dissection facilitate musculofascial repair through a very small incision and, combined with liposuction, allows significant improvement in abdominal recontouring in selected patients. Patient selection parameters, instrumentation, operative techniques, and complications of this developing procedure are described.